A new year comes with new resolutions. We would like to take a moment to encourage our local county government to take up this New Year's Resolution for 2009.

Please finally apply for the rural mass-transit grant that would provide seed money for a public transportation system for the county.

During the summer when gas was $4 a gallon, The News wrote an editorial urging the Board of Commissioners to apply for the 5311 Rural and Small Area Program grant. They did not do so.

The board has been aware of this grant since 2007, but has thus far hesitated from applying for the grant.

It may be easy with gas below $2 to think that the need for a public transportation system in the county is going away. Don't be fooled. This recession is temporary. The price of gas will inevitably return to $3 and greater levels and we will be right back to where we started.

Be proactive. Put the mass transit infrastructure in place now that will allow Newton County to be ahead of the curve once the economy begins growing again.