This is the time of year when we make resolutions that we hope will make us healthier, wiser, richer and more considerate. So why shouldn’t a city also have resolutions? If I were making the resolutions for Midway, here is what I would resolve to do:

1. Be more active in drawing new businesses. A city cannot grow when its business base is stagnant. The land around Interstate 95 and Highway 84 is ripe for growth. By developing this area, Midway can draw more businesses toward the city’s center.

2. Help develop more housing projects. Richmond Hill is over-crowded, and Midway is the next logical growth area.

3. Annex areas that belong in Midway, such as the Midway Industrial Park. Midway already provides police and fire protection in this district. There are other adjacent areas that should be part of the city and not the county.

4. Pave more streets. Dirt roads are no fun to drive on when they are wet. It’s nice that the city plans to pave Old Sunbury Trail, but what about the surrounding streets?

5. Light up Lyman Hall. The money is in the budget for a total of 10 new lights in the city, but we don’t know yet where the mayor plans to put them. Maybe the mayor should walk through Lyman Hall by herself at night.

6. Provide residents with water that does not smell bad.

7. Pull our property taxes from Liberty County and bring them to Midway. We can spend our taxes much better locally than the county can.

8. Clean up all of the signs around the city, especially those that are falling apart.

9. Beautify Butler Avenue. After all, it is Midway’s business center. Tear down the old car wash.

10. Find a new location for a proper city hall and build one. It could be done for less than the city is paying for rent. There is money in Midway’s budget for an engineering study. What do they want to study? The city has the land, and a suitable building can be built for $300,000.

11. Update the city of Midway’s web site to make it something to be proud of.

12. Publish the city ordinances.

13. Promote Midway as a tourist stop. There are billboards along Interstate 95 just for this.

14. Stop overpaying for services rendered to the city. Get more quotes from vendors and contractors.

15. Finish every Midway City Council meeting with an “open discussion” segment for any citizen who wants to make a comment.

16. Ask the city council members to be knowledgeable regarding each agenda topic so that they can intelligently discuss such topics.

Oh well. I can wish, can’t I?

Calderone is a conservative who lives in Midway and has written for trade publications in various fields.