Open your checkbooks because we are in for yet one more repair job at the Y. We have another 18 years of repair and replace unless something is done to cut our losses. Possibilities include 1) sell it for $1, take the known losses and go on. Let the public sector, private business roll in the riches of profitability that we were promised eight years ago; or 2) renegotiate. Can someone digest that contract with a heightened goal to move responsibility back to the Y?
What have we learned from this? All of us need to pay attention from concept to completion on projects. Thinking that any one person is capable of knowing all there is to know and representing a neutral position is not fair or logical. We need to become more knowledgeable and speak up before our hands are tied and money rolls uncontrolled.
And let’s stop looking to blame the past. Work to be better, to learn and to make wiser – not hasty – decisions.
Now we have a petition circulating that could impact county governance. It raises the question of who runs our county – do our commissioners have the desire to delve into what’s ahead – are they starting from ground zero or is there expertise in the variety of issues that they will face and do they want to?
I believe too much detailed knowledge rests in one position. The research – the conclusions, the recommendations, the answers – are from a single source and so the decision goes. If no one else gets involved we have 18 months of what we have now.
How many more construction projects are you up for? How much more do you want to hear about or invest in our housing shortage? How many more people are you willing to hire for a population of 5,300? Are you ready for a Public Health building? What will the consequences be if we continue to sell our souls for the tourist dollar?
And would someone clarify where our Community Center is? We have two that answer to that name – is it a wonder anyone doesn’t get confused? The first one is the Cook County Community Center and Extension Office. I just called there today and was so greeted. The second one is the Cook County Community Center – also known as the Y, referred to in the joint powers agreement the county and city of Grand Marais entered into November 2012. As the building committee continues its discussion of what to build where, it might be wise to know what is what/who is who!
Arvis Thompson
Grand Marais
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