[Winona Online Democracy]
Hello all,
Both C.E and David talk of at least one common complaint - no long term
planning on the part of the city. I would agree. Probably a better way to
word it would be to say "the city does long term planning and does have long
term plans, but they do not stick to the plans" - thus creating the problems
that you both talk about.
I'm not familiar with any issues concerning the riverfront/marina plans
or actions by city council, but I am familiar with a few issues concerning
recent (1 - 2 years) actions by city council about other planning problems.
The traffic problem in the Mankato Avenue and Hwy 61 area are due to not
having the proper infrastructure in place before allowing growth and
development to take place. Take the Knopp Valley intersection as another
example of this. Service roads, with limited access to main roads, put in
place when there's room before development occurs, help to reduce many
traffic problems.
As an example, Pleasant Valley was not on the city's land use
plan.....but when developer Jason Phillips came to the city to develop up
the valley, the city gave Phillips the approval to proceed. Before checking
into any details and checking the feasibility of such a project, the city
was opening up the bidding process to provide sewer and water to the
development site.
The lines were eventually laid to Winona Golf and Dining at a cost to
taxpayers of $564,000. In addition, WGD was paid $125,000 for delay caused
in providing the hook up and also the $10,000 hook up fee was waived. A
total cost to taxpayers of $699,000 - for 1 customer, yes ONE. This now
brings the project to 55% over the budgeted amount of $450,000. The intent,
as stated by the city manager, was to continue the lines on to the Phillips
development site. Currently, there is much uncertainty that the Phillips
development will ever come to reality. If it does happen, the traffic
problems at Hwy 61 will be increasingly worse. Again, this can be
attributed to poor planning which turned into very irresponsible use of tax
dollars.
How many of us that work in the private sector could actually hold on to
our jobs and businesses with this kind of money management? How many of us
could exist with this kind of money management in our personal lives? It
starts with planning and sticking to the plan. I'm not saying minor shifts
from the main plan will not, or cannot happen, but such a major change in
plans is just asking for the trouble we are seeing.
Cost overruns and mistakes happen to all of us, but we learn from it and
use what's learned so it doesn't happen the next time. City projects end up
over budget repeatedly. Some city employees have been quoted as saying that
"this happens", and "building materials increase", and "this is normal",
"costs always go up from the time the project is quoted to the time it's
done". If it's happening repeatedly, it doesn't take a lot to figure out a
cost increase needs to be factored in from the beginning.
I will say some city council members are not "yes men" and do a good
job. Deb Salyards and Gerry Krage are looking in the right direction and
act with the taxpayer and future of the city in mind. (Salyards and Krage
voted against extending sewer and water to WGD at such an outrageous cost
for just one customer). I also believe these two form their own opinion and
don't take direction from up the line. The others have not convinced me of
that. I do know that it is not an easy job and criticism will be heard no
matter what action is taken. I just think many do not care to put the time
into finding out the facts for themselves.
Additionally, the city has been encouraged by other government agencies
to work with Winona County and neighboring Townships for a common land use
plan so all are aiming at the same goal for sensible, planned growth. It's
tough to be on a team when one player makes and changes the rules as the
game progresses and then blames the other players for a bungled up
performance.
To quote a segment of a recent letter from the DNR to the city, in
reference to the proposed Phillips development;
"As stated previously we believe that Winona County, Wilson Township
and the DNR have an obligation to consider a more comprehensive look at
development in the sensitive trout stream valleys and bluffs surrounding
Winona. We again emphasize our recommendation that resource based planning
be used to identify the best locations for development, rather than
selecting a site and then mitigating the impacts of development. We would
encourage the city to join the County and Wilson Township to conduct
resource based planning to meet the growth needs of Winona without
sacrificing the natural resource value and beautiful infrastructure of the
valleys and bluffs."
The industrial park is another "change of heart" by the city. The
park's creation was paid for by a voter approved sales tax increase. The
public was told it was for adding industrial zoned land for industry, not
big box retailers. When Wal-Mart proposed coming to town, the city rezoned
the area and let them in. Again, a change in the written comprehensive
plans of the city. Now we hear them say how we need industrial land. We
also see many businesses go out of business since Wal-Mart opened it's
doors. Recently there was an article in a local paper about how two Winona
malls are now 1/3 vacant, and also both behind on paying property taxes.
I'm sure Wal-Mart has some positive impact, but it appears it has more
visible, negative impact. This is another instance where hasty change of
plans have lead to trouble down the road. This change of plan has also
definitely attributed to the traffic problems in the Mankato Avenue / Hwy 61
area.
Sorry for the long post :-))
Daren Engler
----- Original Message -----
From: "David" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Winona Online Democracy" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 6:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Winona] throw them out of office?
[Winona Online Democracy]
I do have solutions to the problems mentioned, otherwise I would not
have objected in the first place. However, since you are more
interested in applying language that intentionally confuses
disagreement with anger I am not going to waste my time rebuking your
straw man arguments or conversing with one uninterested in a different
opinion.
The point about graduate retention was intended to highlight something
disturbing about Winona's demography rather than to employ every
graduate. I suggest you inspect many demographic statistics for Winona
and observe the burgeoning hole in Winona's population before you
dismiss my comments as motivated by anger.
Further, the Winona unemployment rate was 3.6% or 25% better than the
current federal rate.
One final question for C.E., why when I was in high school and college
did an overwhelming portion of the people that I knew have leaving
Winona as a top priority? Not heeding the concerns of the next
generation is also the same kind of short sighted thinking that
strangles Winona. It is the exact reason why Winona is thought of as a
"small town" when it is anything but, rather than a "small city."
P.S. The name has two ns not one.
On Apr 21, 2006, at 13:20, c.e.w. wrote:
[Winona Online Democracy]
Mr. Dittman,
I am not going to get into a rant with you, obviously you are very angry
with the city government. I stand by my statement and believe the city has
came a long way in the past 10 years and I am proud of Winona.
Regarding the traffic problem, I agree with you. Do you have a solution to
the problem?
Regarding jobs for degree holders? Unemployment is at 4.8%(theoretically
zero) this is a town of 27000 people, and two colleges that produce degree
holders about every four or five months..it is inherent that there will be
a lack of "degree holder jobs", so degree holders cant all work in Winona,
some may have to commute, some may have to leave, there is a certain
degree of financial sacrifice you have to make to live in a smaller town.
Regarding the riverfront and marina ? it is exactly that type of thinking
that stagnated Winona during the 70's and 80's...I implore you to take a
day drive up river and see what I am talking about. To imply that one
good wedding would impact the local economy the same is preposterous. And
again, I stand behind my belief that we should be putting a future
development plan together regarding riverfront development.
Regards,
C.E. Woodford
********************************************
David Dittmann
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