City of Elgin has a lot of new employees

There was some discussion of iron grates over the windows on the Fulton Street Parking Deck. The parking deck is about as ugly as can be. Iron grates would be lipstick on a pig. The best option is to plant as much creeper (or ivy) as possible, and soak it with Miracle Gro. Hopefully that will hide the building

But the best part of the article was in the last few paragraphs:

Also at Wednesday's meeting, council members are scheduled to take up a proposal to spend up to $21,000 to offer all 1,100 full-time, part-time and seasonal city employees tickets to a Kane County Cougars minor-league baseball game and a picnic dinner.

The last time the city held such an event was 2002.

"We have a lot of new employees," said city spokeswoman Sue Olafson. "We need to show appreciation." (source: Elgin Courier 4/25/06)

They have a lot of new employees. I wonder why. The city will soon represent half of Elgin's GDP. I flipped through their Parks & Recreation catalog the other day. Am I the only one amazed at how many businesses the city has gotten itself into? I mean they're in the preschool business for goshsakes!

Where will it end?