Progress?

“If we’re not moving forward, we’re moving backwards,” the self-assured mayor pontificated while snapping his purple suspenders with his thumbs.

Mayor Watkins showed renderings of the proposed high-rise hotel to be built smack in the middle of the quaint college town. Council Chair Bowers reviewed property tax projections from the development. “That’ll support other city improvements,” Bowers boasted.

Edna was startled when Ed blurted out loud exactly what she was thinking.

“The city improvement we need most is to embrace basic values.”

Facing the projection screen, Watkins and Bowers froze, knowing that Ed and Edna were in the audience.

*****

This 99-word story is my contribution to the December 30 Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge to "write an industrious story."