A gorgeous summer morning out on the new Prairie Trail. The Kroc Center continues to go up–there’s a long way to go yet–and yesterday’s Press reported that a Ironwood Athletic Club will break ground next month on a new building down in Riverstone.
Any comments, questions, ideas?
While,it is true that bloggers can be very opinionated in their comments;it is also true, they can be very passionate in the statements that they make.
I equate passion with:convictions.To be resolute in your convictions.
I just hope, that we don’t mistake passion for something else.
Does this make sense?
Comment by kageman — July 25, 2008 @ 11:57 am
It does to me, Kageman. Where would our county be if not for those who passionately stand up for the rights of the public?
I’ve actually been thinking about this topic quite a bit lately because of our children, who are young adults pursuing their careers. Their lifelong personalities seem to draw them, successfully, to certain fields. For example, our oldest was just home for a visit from med. school. He’s such a calm, caring, brilliant person who is also detailed, careful and picky. His younger brother tells funny stories about traveling with him. Yet wouldn’t you want your doctor to have those tendencies?
So maybe we, who are interested in local government and citizen rights, are those naturally prone to debate, a strong sense of justice and are willing to stand up publicly.
Comment by mary — July 25, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
Sunshine. Fun. Golf. Boating. Parades. All of these things seem to come to mind.
Comment by Pariah — July 25, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
Pariah,
Good call on all counts except for the golf. I hate being outsmarted by a little ball of rubber. In my mind, I’m Tiger Woods. In reality, I’m in the woods. A lot. I carry a chainsaw in my bag. My cart is an all-terrain vehicle. I have three days worth of food and water. I’ve hit balls into areas the USGS hasn’t yet mapped. And that’s on a good day.
Comment by Bill — July 25, 2008 @ 6:48 pm
Hey Bill,
I did ok at Ponderosa the other day. I hit ONLY a 41. lol
Comment by concerned citizen — July 25, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
Bill,
Golf means walking in a park, imagining skills I do not have and ending with a beer and friends. And buying more golf balls to replace the ones that some guy named Murphy stole from me. Forestry for me is dangerous. Scissors scare me and when I pick up power tools my wife calls 911. A chainsaw would be a bad tool for me to play with. Vary, very bad.
Comment by Pariah — July 25, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
concerned citizen,
How did you do on the second hole? (Sorry, but when you give me a straight line like that …)
I haven’t golfed in a long time and have no desire to resume. My grandfather was an avid golfer and would be disappointed. We used to drive from Palouse to Spokane to visit my aunt, and whenever we drove past Manito County Club, he would say, “Look at those damn fools out there.” Of course, he would have given anything to be out there with them.
Comment by Bill — July 25, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
Bill,
What are you talking about? That WAS the second hole! I had an even harder time on the back 9!
Comment by concerned citizen — July 26, 2008 @ 8:33 am
Sorry if the “copy and paste” does not transfer appropriately, but why is no one commenting on the Press article Amend to assist Kroc Center? Possibly the development director could first request, say, $818K, from Mr. Patano for the Kroc Ctr.?
Comment by Michelle — July 26, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
Michelle,
Thanks for your comment. I changed your cut-and-paste to a link to the Press article, because the c-&-p of the entire article would infringe on the Press’s copyright. It’s okay to link to copyrighted material, but we discourage lengthy c-&-p’s.
It gets a little slow here on nice summer weekends, but I suspect the comments will pick back up on Monday. Certainly one or two questions might be asked. For example, did Amend sign any memoranda of understanding or other documents which could financially obligate the school district to the Kroc Center before he retired? What exactly will his duties be?
Comment by Bill — July 26, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Thank you, Bill. Great questions!
Comment by Michelle — July 26, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
Another query: I see in yesterday’s paper that #271 has paid $2,800 per MONTH for FIVE years for TWO portable classrooms, one at each high school. Am I the only taxpayer who feels this financial decision needs a 2nd look?
Comment by Michelle — July 26, 2008 @ 4:36 pm
Michelle,
You’ve obviously been paying attention to what’s going on. I’d suggest that you contact either Jim Ballew or Jim Keizer. They are two of the seven members on the newly-formed Finance Committee. The reason I mention them is they were both thoughtfully critical of the District’s fiscal practices at the why-the-levy-failed forums. On Monday I’ll try and get contact information from the School District and post it here on the website.
No, you’re definitely not the only taxpayer who wants the fiscal practices at SD 271 to get a close look and an upgrade.
Comment by Bill — July 26, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
They obviously did not rent the portable classrooms from the city. The school is REALLY being ripped off if you compare sq ft for sq ft using the osprey building and the old library.
Comment by concerned citizen — July 26, 2008 @ 6:10 pm
I think a few weeks ago someone here (Mary? Not sure who) posted that Amend would most likely wind up at the Kroc Center.
Whoever predicted it was right.
Comment by reddy — July 26, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
The discussion between Hazel Bauman and the Boys and Girls Club for use of a building at Lakes Middle School is good news indeed for area children. The Boys and Girls Club certainly fills an ongoing need and deserves community support.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — July 26, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
A boys and girls center is a great idea. BUT—–I thought that was the mayor whole ploy behind the Kroc center. That IT was somehow, sort of a boys and girls center.
Comment by concerned citizen — July 26, 2008 @ 7:38 pm
CC, the Boys and Girls club is different than the Kroc Center. As I understand it, B&G costs $20 per YEAR and is specifically aimed at school aged kids and building positive role models and activities for them. The Kroc Center costs much more and, while I’m sure their mission is very positive, I think they offer activities for all ages.
Comment by mary — July 26, 2008 @ 11:11 pm
Mary,
Then why wasn’t the 6 million that was spent on the Kroc center spent on something like a boys and girls center that the WHOLE community could use instead of a chosen few?
Comment by concerned citizen — July 27, 2008 @ 6:57 am
Every tax payer needs to read this morning
CdA Press Sunday July 27, 2008
“Times call for budget wisdom”
I cannot believe these people ACTUALLY blast citizens for questioning their tactics.
GRRRRRRRR!
The city does NOT need to buy a 10 million dollar piece of property to buy a STATE/COUNTY (not cda) college!
NO MORE MONEY TO DEVELOPERS! Oh and how about this, MAKE DEVELOPERS PAY IMPACT FEES! Make the developer pay for their own infrastructure in what they build. If they cannot play the game with their own money then they should not play the game AT ALL!
The city is out of money. Is John Stone selling his jet because HE is out of money? NO! Why? Because he got 10 million (approx) of OUR tax dollars.
I’m not just picking on Stone. There is Chesrown, Beutler, Dodge, Patano, H3LL even your mayor got yout tax money for the front of HER store. And the list goes on.
Handing OUR hard earned tax money to the city of CdA is like giving a child the money to run a household and all they do is buy candy.
Then you wonder why the city is broke.
GEEEZE!
Then the ,SO CALLED, educated people come out and DEFEND these people.
Ya know, the ones with a “degree” in whatever.
YA right! A degree in
!!!STUPIDITY!!!
Sorry! I gotta leave for a while. I cannot believe how stupid this is and I feel my blood pressure going up. I understand how Joy feels!
Comment by concerned citizen — July 27, 2008 @ 7:42 am
concerned citizen,
I did not change any of the wording in your comment, but I did link directly to the Press editorial. If you object to my doing that, let me know and I’ll remove the link.
Bill
Comment by Bill — July 27, 2008 @ 7:46 am
Not at all. I was hoping you would do that. Thank you. Have a great day.
Comment by concerned citizen — July 27, 2008 @ 7:56 am
CC, Because many of the households in this Lakes Middle School quadrant have parent or parents that work, I doubt that some of the children will have transportation to and from the Salvation Army Kroc center. Inasmuch as the fee schedule has yet to be disclosed, it might be that the imposed fees are in excess of family budgets. With these issues in mind, the Boys and Girls Club is a wonderful addition.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — July 27, 2008 @ 10:01 am
Susie,
Believe me, I understand the importance of a b&g club. The b&g club where I grew up was one of my saving graces. I do not understand why the monies spent, on things like the Kroc center for one, did not go for something that would support/benefit the majority, like a b&g club, instead of the few.
Comment by concerned citizen — July 27, 2008 @ 4:55 pm