Two things about the Mayor's schools post:
He claims to want citizen involvement but then
dismisses the citizen committee that recommended that
a new Roosevelt library be built at 23rd Avenue South
and 38th Street. Not only did this recommendation
solve the problem of an antiquated, non-accessible
building, but it placed a new building (with likely
lower operating costs) within walking distance of more
actual patrons.
You have an awfully strange and uncommon definition of "dismisses" when you claim Mayor Rybak dismissed the citizen committee. When I read what he wrote, I see him saying that it is an example where the location was specifically chosen not be part of the school, and then goes on to suggest some trial balloons about combining city offices, library buildings, park buildings and schools to save money. But, not only did he refrain from saying "bad idea" or "good idea," he didn't even say anything about the Roosevelt library as being one which should be combined other than to use it as an example to illustrate where an opportunity to combine was not taken.
I don't see significant criticism of that decision in his posting, much less a dismissing of the citizen committee -- which typically implies even less regard than honest criticism. You may not like the Mayor and you may not agree with him -- and I certainaly don't agree with him much of the time -- but your remarks above are completely inaccurate and unfair.
As far as accessibility, there's no reason why an older building cannot be modified to become accessible. People often mistakenly think that newer buildings are cheaper, but in reality, they are often more expensive over the long term. One reason is construction costs are much higher now than they were when older buildings were built. As a result, cheaper materials and less skilled labor is used to produce buildings with shorter life spans and lower quality and durability, and commensurate higher maintenance costs.
In fact, I'll go out on a limb and make a forecast. I'd make it a bet but I won't be around to collect payment. One hundred years from now, I'll bet that relatively few of the buildings built today will be around. However, I'll bet most of the buildings that are already one hundred years old today will still be around. That is, there will be an over-representation of two hundred year old buildings compared to one hundred year old buildings. It will be because they were built better. This is especially true in residential construction.
Chris Johnson Fulton
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
