To the Editor:

It is important to give a pat on the back when a job is well done.

Over the past couple of years I have been a little hard on the Faribault County Commissioners for their lack of common sense in their decision making with regard to the new jail. I would like to finally give them a pat on the back for a job well done and for using some common sense.

If you haven’t yet heard or read, our county commissioners voted to keep the bounty on pocket gophers at $2 and at $.50 for striped gophers for 2010. This is a major step in the right direction.

If that common sense mentality would have always been used, Faribault County would not be subsidizing the Prairie Express riders from out of the county. Imagine, someone from Emmons can ride the Prairie Express from Emmons to Winnebago – and with the empty drive down and back a total of 193 miles will be driven – all for a total of $12, or just over six cents a mile cost to the rider.

The Prairie Express will be tied up for over four hours with an estimated cost to Faribault County and the State of Minnesota (also us) of nearly $300 to make that trip.

Common sense was missing when our commissioners decided to go along with the architect and build a $25 million dollar jail.

I wonder sometimes if Pocket Gophers and Striped Gophers don’t have more common sense then some of our elected officials.

My cousin in Norway sent me a Christmas letter and in it made this observation: “The brain is fantastic! It starts to work even before you are born and doesn’t stop until you are elected into politics!”

Oh, how true.

Uffda Megge,

Mike Enger, Blue Earth