Did you look at the 1 percent sales tax proposals before the November 2010 vote? The county’s website provided links to the various proposals. Each project had written descriptions and/or drawings except the community center site, which had nothing on it but useless landscape sketches which represented none of the plans that were later revealed.
The 1 percent sales tax was approved by voters in November 2010. Not one single public meeting was held for citizen input for 4 ½ months (November 2010 vote through March 2011).
April 2011 marked the unveiling of the community center proposal. Apparently it was OK with the steering committee and the hired planners to do such a thing without asking the citizens what they wanted. Evidence of their lack of consideration for citizens was the immediate angry reaction of seniors when their senior center was placed within the plan along with their funding. Others were upset to see new tennis courts, skate board park, playground, etc. were to be moved. We were stunned to see the proposal’s size, cost and extravagance.
Even after many protesting calls, emails and letters to commissioners, the project continued to move forward. Time and money was spent to “push” the giant complex from one location to another trying to avoid the removal of existing amenities. In spite of obvious public anger there were still no public meetings called to accept the community’s suggestions.
In the summer of 2011 a group of citizens circulated a survey throughout the county regarding the community center project. Ninety-two percent of the 435 respondents (residents of voting age) did not support the community center plan. Respondents also indicated which projects were most important when they voted: broadband was first with 34 percent, the library was second with 14 percent, the community center scored only 4 percent.
Now there is talk of YMCA involvement and attaching the mega-building to the school. When at any stage of this process have citizens been allowed to be involved? Where is the “community” in the community center plan? Will the commissioners please tell us when it will be our turn to speak?
Molly and Ken Hoffman
Grand Marais
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