A Goffstown man named Richard Meaney is concerned that the town is plowing church parking lots for free without legal authorization.

What would we ever do without public-spirited citizens such as Mr. Meaney?

He went so far as to check a Local Government Center website, which said there needs to be a “quid pro quo’’ by which the town obtains something real in exchange for the public’s money (for the plowing, in these cases).

A selectman helpfully suggested the town was getting something in return, in that in one case the church lot includes access to the local food pantry.

A church member said the cost of plowing could put a big dent in church budgets.

The Sunday News would like to offer a suggestion.

If the churches agree to include the town in their prayers, that should more than equal the value of the plowing, even if we actually get some real snow in the future.