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CJC would help keep Caledonia downtown viable |
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To the Editor:
As a Caledonian of 70 years and a widow of a former downtown business
owner, I am proud to say the downtown has never looked better.
I believe the addition of a CJC would not detract but rather enhance the downtown. It would also keep Caledonia viable.
Despite the domination of this newspaper’s opinion pages by one voice,
there is a significant population of the city and county that does not
oppose the CJC location adjacent to the court house.
In east central Wisconsin a prison in the city of Waupun works. My
daughter and her husband and family lived there 20 years. Their
children attended schools in that city. My granddaughter worked at the
city library four summers while in high school. The prison is across
the street from the library. Public safety was of relatively little
concern. The prison brought business to the city of Waupun.
It could be good for the downtown businesses to have CJC employees and
visitors coming to the area to help keep their shops open.
Florence Bissen
Caledonia, Minn.
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Citizens demanding to be heard on issues |
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To the editor:
The 2008 Minnesota Legislative session runs February 12- May 19 and if
the recent caucus is any indication, there is a growing concern about
issues and a growing number of citizens demanding to be heard on these
issues.
The following are five issues that the Minnesota Senior Federation is
lobbying for on behalf of Minnesota elders. Property taxes based on
income, health care at affordable costs, bonding monies dedicated to
improving the Minneapolis Veterans Home tied directly to outcome, a
transportation plan that provides transit for seniors, and a funeral
home regulation that allows exact comparisons in the sale of caskets,
urns, and vaults.
It is wonderful that democratic power is returning to the hands of
people. Take advantage of leaders listening to us by contacting your
legislators on the above issues. To find contact information for
your house representatives or senators call the US Capital switchboard
at 800-828-0498.
Sincerely,
Marianne Zerbe-VISTA Volunteer
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Accountable to someone |
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To the editor:
Minnesota Statute 145.422 prohibits “use of a living human conceptus
for any type of scientific, laboratory research or other
experimentation except to protect the life or health of the
conceptus.” According to this law, human cloning would seem
illegal, yet the facilities at our University of Minnesota have
continued human cloning research. Expensive embryonic stem cell
research also continues although it has produced no useable therapies
(it differs from adult stem cell research which has produced therapies
and does not cause the destruction of human life). Although
legislative attempts have been made to curb the research of the U of M,
the university has continued spending our tax money on fruitless
research by using different terminology.
If you are an alumni of the University of Minnesota, please return all
of their solicitations for donations with the message, “I will no
longer contribute to any of the university’s programs as long as
embryonic stem cell research and therapeutic human cloning continues.”
If the university believes the research will damage revenues, it is
possible that steps will be taken by the university to end the
research.
Thank you!
Paul A. Ibisch
La Crescent
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“Once Upon a Mattress” What a treat! (and no calories!) |
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To the Editor:
To anyone who had anything to do with the production, our hats are off
to you! Once again you make our community proud. It was a very
enjoyable afternoon. Keep up the fine work.
Lois Schmitz
Caledonia, Minn.
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Letterwriter thanks city |
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To the editor:
We live in a Democracy and it certainly appears that the Commissioners
are attempting to change it into a tyrant or dictatorship Houston
County. I wonder if the citizens of Houston County feel that it would
be right for the county to insist upon being a tyrant or dictatorship.
A Democracy has check points to assure our rights are maintained. Our
forefathers made City government (especially the county seat) a check
points on the County government. It appears that they intend to divide
the citizens of Houston County by adversarial misleading information.
The county hired Atty. Scott T. Anderson has stated that “the County
has gone to the City” and “the County has been attempting to work with
the City”. How many citizens of Houston county seen notices or minutes
of these meetings? Where these illegal secret meeting? The Houston
County web site clearly states, “The Open Meeting Law requires that
public business be conducted in public. The public has a right to
attend the meeting and observe the transaction of public business. All
formal and informal county board meetings, as well as county committee
and subcommittee meetings fall under this law.” (Are our government
officials intentionally violating Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law?) It
also states that every citizen who wishes to receive a notice of the
date, time, place and purpose (agenda) of these special meetings need
only provide the county with a written request. Then the county is
required to mail the notice to the citizens and/or publish the notice
in the official newspaper at least three days prior to special
meetings. I think every voting citizen should send the county a written
request so that we, the people, know what is going on. I also think
that the minutes of these special meetings should be published in the
official newspaper. By the way, citizens of Houston County, “how much
did we citizens pay for Atty. Anderson editorial”? $10,000? More
Our current jail was never built on zoned land! In truth, there was no
zoning when the current jail was built. However, back then, the Sheriff
and his family used the jail as their residence. Sheriff’s and their
families no longer live in jails. The actual classification of the jail
would be Non Conforming R2 because it was grandfathered in when zoning
began. By the way, citizens of Houston County, we were previously told
that the design, etc. of the prior proposed CJC was the best and most
efficient. So why are the commissioners not using it? Are they saying
they can not modify it? Are they saying that they were mistaken?
Now for the truth about “Conditional Use Permits” (CUP): A Condition
Use Permit is primarily required so that the rights of the residents,
the citizens and the Cities are protected. The best way to show the
citizens of Houston County the protected rights they deserve, I am
quoting below a typical CUP from Wabasha County in late 2007: (Please
note, this is only the beginning of the CUP as all the conditions are
not needed. Also note that the County applied for the CUP. This is a
quote.)
RESOLUTION GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
TO WABASHA COUNTY
TO CONSTRUCT A JUSTICE CENTER
Resolution#2007-002
WHEREAS, Wabasha County is in need of a new jail and justice center and
has applied for a Conditional Use Permit to construct said facility, and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission with appropriate conditions imposed provides the following findings:
1. That the establishment, maintenance, or operation of the
conditional use will not be detrimental to or endanger the public
health, safety, morals, comfort, or general welfare;
2. That the conditional use will not be injurious to the use and
enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purposes
already permitted, nor substantially diminish and impair property
values within the neighborhood;
3. That the establishment of the conditional use will
not impede the normal and orderly development of the surrounding
property for uses permitted in the district;
4. That adequate utilities, access road, drainage, and/or necessary facilities have been or are being provided;
5. That adequate measures have been or will be taken to
provide ingress and egress so designed as to minimize traffic
congestion in the public streets; and
6. That the conditional use shall, in all other respects, conform
to the applicable regulations of the district in which it is located.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, the Planning Commission approves
the Conditional Use Permit for plans submitted on 7/18/07 (and updated
plans for 17thstreet- see note #2 below) with the following
conditions:……end of quote.
Wabasha County is about the same size as Houston County. In addition,
Wabasha County Commissioners also failed at having the County seat
moved.
What is wrong with the 23 acre lot for building the CJC? Why don’t they
submit a CUP to the City of Caledonia based on that site? Isn’t it true
that there is more than adequate land for both the CJC and the County
building(s)? When one considers the small amount of land they
previously proposed to build the CJC, this site is large enough for
more than 7 CJCs.
I thank the City Council of Caledonia for protecting its’ residence and
the citizens of Houston County. We should all pray and hope that they
realize the important role they have in us remaining a Democracy. In
the next election, my vote is for hope and this is what I see in the
City Council of Caledonia. There is no hope in adversaries. God bless
us all.
Sincerely,
Larry Salm, Caledonia
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Lawmakers 'voted their conscience' not their party |
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To the Editor:
Partisan politics were set aside this past week when six Minnesota
Republican legislators ‘voted their conscience’ and teamed up with the
DFL-controlled House and overrode Governor Pawlenty’s veto of the
transportation bill. Refreshing!
They deserve hero status for their vote. Why? Because, according
to the February 27, 2008 Minneapolis Star Tribune, they were stripped
of key committee leadership positions by their Republican colleagues
because of “breaking ranks” with their Republican colleagues.
As tough as economic times are today, their votes----and that of their
DFL colleagues---showed a mindset that the increase in the gasoline tax
for roads and bridges improvements (user fees) is a better alternative
to borrowing into the future (bonding) and forcing future generations
to repay the indebtedness. Our children and grandchildren will be
funding transportation improvements in their day, too, and should not
also have to incur 2008 legislative-induced bonding debt.
Finally, a small part of the big increases that we have been
experiencing in oil prices will help fund transportation improvements
in Minnesota and will not further swell the bottom line profits of oil
companies. Further, many construction jobs will result from the
transportation improvement projects, bolstering our economy.
Congratulations to the six legislators for standing their ground,
knowing that they might suffer retaliation from their colleagues for
their action. Finally, a small part of the big increases that we have
been experiencing in oil prices will help fund transportation
improvements in Minnesota and not further swell the bottom line profits
of oil companies.
The six legislators are Rep. Ron Erhardt, R-Edina; Rep. Rod Hamilton,
R-Mountain Lake; Rep. Kathy Tingelstad, R-Andover; Rep. Jim Abeler,
R-Anoka; Rep. Neil Peterson, R-Bloomington; Rep. Bud Heidgerken,
R-Freeport. Their action was refreshing.
What was refreshing was a vote taken that didn’t “go down
partisan lines.” What we witnessed on the transportation vote was
politics at its best------standing your ground, voting your conscience,
and the worst---retaliation by colleagues for doing so.
Lloyd Swalve,
Mabel, MN
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