ProPublica, an "independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest," is looking for people to join its "Reporting Network" and become part of the Adopt-a-Stimulus-Project.
All that's required is to log on to http:www.propublica.org/ion/stimulus and you can become a citizen journalist.
However, if a lot of people from Alabama sign up, they may have to wait to get a project to watch. Although more than $513 million has been set aside for the state, so far only $212 million has been obligated; only 75 projects have been signed off on, ProPublica reports.
That's only 41 percent of the money coming to Alabama, which ranks it fourth from the bottom in a listing of how quickly states are starting stimulus projects and getting money into the economy. Maine is the only state that has obligated all of its money. Nevada, with only 35 percent obligated, is at the bottom.
Calhoun County residents wanting to take part in the ProPublica exercise won't be able to immediately monitor a local program. Thus far, of the 75 Alabama projects that have been approved and are listed on the ProPublica site, none are in Calhoun County.
There are a few nearby — St. Clair, Talladega, Cherokee and Etowah counties have paving projects approved, ProPublica says — but none here. Explaining that scenario is important.
Information about the federal stimulus projects seems to be a moving target; it's difficult to pin down detailed plans. The Birmingham News reported this week that Gov. Bob Riley says stimulus projects are planned for all 67 Alabama counties, and that the state Department of Transportation is evaluating 48 contracts for highway and bridge projects. That puts a slightly different spin on the use of Alabama's stimulus money.
Nevertheless, The Star reported in April that McClellan contractors were in the process of clearing unexploded ordnance, road projects there were on schedule, and "thanks to President Barack Obama's stimulus, the incomplete Eastern Parkway site will also be finished."
If the county is this far along, if parts of the parkway are shovel-ready, it would be good if our projects were on the list so local watchdogs could sign up to watch them.
Of course, Calhoun County's needs are not the only needs. According to ProPublica, more than $300 million has not been obligated and is available for Alabama's state government to spend on stimulus projects.
With the economy in such shape, with people out of work and tax revenue falling, public officials need to bring residents up to date on what is being done to use this money. Then residents can watch to see if what is being done is done right.
