Occupy Grand Marais sounds like an interesting idea, but may I suggest something that might be more effective? Remembering back to the original referendum that approved this mess I recall lots of signs saying “yes to broadband” and “broadband now,” etc.
I did not see “yes to new $10,000,000 community center” or anything like it. Remember that the initial “need” was for broadband, not the other projects that piggybacked onto the broadband issue.
Now that the broadband is largely being funded by other means and the 1 percent money is not needed for most of the broadband project, the other projects are having to come out from the shadow of the broadband issue and stand on their own in the sunlight of public scrutiny.
Most of us don’t like what we see. We are all having to do more with less these days, yet our local government wants to continue to go on its merry way spending our money as it wishes, claiming “people voted for it.”
Technically true, but we all know the real issue we voted for was broadband, and the projects that piggybacked along were secondary issues that received little scrutiny.
Kudos to the city for not going along with this monstrosity. Although the reason may be due to poor contract management, the result has for the moment put the brakes on this issue.
And this brings me to my suggestion. Since the community center project is presently on hold anyway, I propose the entire issue be placed on next year’s election ballot, question one being “Should the pool be rebuilt and modernized in its present location?”
Question two being “Should the county/city build a new community center costing approximately $10,000,000 at this time and abandon the existing pool?”
Let’s stop paying consultants and lawyers and let the people decide!
George Gradek
Maple Hill
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