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To the Editor:

I was surprised to read in The Farmville Herald that the Town Council decided to use the CARES Act money to pay a bonus to 148 town employees.

In a sense the ones who control the disbursement of the money decided to pay it to themselves. The very fact that they paid these bonuses to town employees means they chose to pay bonuses to already employed workers, rather than the many unemployed workers, small business owners whose businesses are closing or barely staying open, or others who have trouble paying their rent, or putting food on the table.

The CARES Act money is taxpayer money meant to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus. It is not meant to be used for bonuses for government employees.

They are employees with jobs that are not endangered by lockdowns, restaurant closures, or restrictions, and are already funded by the taxpayers.

Surely the Town Council could have found some way to help those who, as a result of the virus, are in dire circumstances, unable to pay their rent, electric bills, medical bills, or put food on the table. This decision by the Town Council seems to me to be insensitive and irresponsible.

Cindy Koether

Farmville