To the editor:The southern five counties of Illinois have been the subject of many news articles over the past few years regarding economic development and the numerous agencies which propose to improve the economic climate of this region. Grant funds from state and federal sources have been provided to these various agencies by the millions. While there have been some improvements made in this region, the overall bang for the buck appears to be seriously lacking.

Another area that deserves serious consideration by the funding agencies, and the residents of the five counties, is the lack of accountability of the grant funds and the reporting of the successes, if any, that came from each grant. There appears to be very little reporting on the various funding, and audits of most of these grants appears to be nonexistent. All the while the region keeps sinking lower and lower on the economic ladder, and too many elected officials turn a blind eye to the failure to move the region away from stagnation. We taxpayers seem to get way too much spin regarding the so called successes.

CURTIS MILLER, Tamms, Ill.