|
Open letter to the citizens of Houston County
|
|
|
To the Editor:
To give the Houston County voters the whole story, below is the letter, verbatim, that the Concerned Landowners of Houston County sent to each Houston County Commissioner to try to settle the landowners concerns without litigation. The county commission ignored this letter as well as all other requests to meet with landowner representatives to discuss this problem. It certainly appears as if the county commission prefers to expend the tax dollars of the citizens in litigation without even trying to discuss the issue. In an open county commission meeting on April 6, 2010, the commissioners clearly indicated they would be willing to meet with a representative group of the landowners, but have not ever followed up on that promise. It is disappointing the county feels that way.
(Submitted by Karl Sylling on behalf of the Landowners Concerned About Property Rights.)
The letter to the commissioners states as follows:
As you know, on June 11, 2010, the Houston County Commission through the Houston County Auditor was served with the attached complaint. The complaint alleges that the Houston County’s Land Use Plan violates constitutional mandates and Minnesota state statutes by treating similarly situated landowners differently and results in an unconstitutional taking of private property. The Concerned Landowners feel very strongly that their private property and individual rights are being violated and are seeking court relief for their grievances.
That being said, the Concerned Landowners also believe that there is a way for Houston County and its property owners to resolve their concerns without the significant time and expense of a legal battle. The Concerned Landowners have requested that I contact you to determine if you are interested in working with the landowners to review the land use plan and adopt a framework for that plan that recognizes the property rights set forth in the Constitutions of Minnesota and the United States.
The commission should not misunderstand this offer. The Concerned Landowners do not oppose all zoning nor all land use planning. The Concerned Landowners have stated again and again that they recognize the need for be safely and other requirements for sewer, electrical codes and other land use issues. However, the Concerned Landowners also believe that Houston County Land Use Plan goes far beyond what is needed and takes private property without any rational relation to the alleged need for some of the county’s requirements and actions. It is this concern that has forced the Concerned Landowners to take action.
The Concerned Landowners request that the Houston County Commissioners take this opportunity to work with the Concerned Landowners to address their serious concerns with the Land Use Plan. Addressing these concerns by adopting a framework that recognizes the landowners’ private property rights can avoid this litigation and present positive tax and other benefits to Houston County.
Please contact me if you have any questions or if you are willing to work to resolve the concerns in this complaint short of litigation.
Karen Budd-Falen
Budd Falen Law Offices
Cheyenne, Wyo.
|
|
|
Thoughts on county zoning issues
|
|
|
To the editor,
In today’s world we the American citizens pay more than 50 percent of our income to taxes and fees.
Many years ago we paid very little in taxes.
Years ago the Houston County government had few regulations. Now we have many regulations.
Because of restrictions it is a struggle to have Grandma live next door. If you live in the country why can’t you have Grandma live next door? Why do we have to ask permission to build a house to have Grandma live in? I think she has earned the right.
Why do they want to control how many bathrooms you have in your ag building? Grandma might need it.
If a family wants Grandma to live next door the rest of us should be OK with it also.
Having Grandma live next door will save the county money in the long haul.
Every time you turn around another restriction is put in place. They should have more important things to think about. Did you notice the longer a person is a government employee the more they resemble a king that has been a king too long? When will the number of restrictions stop growing? The answer is never. There will always be someone in government trying to put more and more restrictions on what we the citizens do. That is a fact. Government employees want better health care, better retirement, better life style, and they want to control what the rest of us do.
I appreciate the citizens of America and of Houston County trying to retain our Constitutional rights. I want to say thank you to the land owners of Houston County for trying to minimize the restrictions the Houston County government is trying to impose on us. We need concerned citizens to stand up for us and protect what we have or we will not have it.
P.S. A good king would be trying to improve the economy rather than suppress the workers.
Mitchell Bublitz
Houston, Minn.
|
|
|
Writer has issues with Social Services
|
|
|
To the Editor:
When are Social Services ever going to get in trouble for not listening and obeying court orders? Last year the CHIPS on my children was dismissed and did I get my children back? No.
Right after the CHIPS was dismissed they hid my son Shawn so I couldn’t find him. When I did find my son Shawn they put a restraining order on me to stay away from my son.
Shawn turned 20 in April. Then they put a restraining order on my daughter Sara who just turned 19 this month.
Both my daughter and my son said in court they did not want a restraining order on me, but it was put on anyway, even after the CHIPS was dismissed.
I can’t believe the way Social Services can get away with doing one illegal thing after another. Anybody else ignoring court orders and lying to the judge would get in trouble. But not them, not Social Services.
Both of my children have been wanting to come home. I don’t even get to see my children for their birthdays, Christmas, Mother’s Day. They say it’s Shawn and Sara’s decision, but it’s not. The CHIPS has been dismissed.
It’s been nine years since we’ve been together as a family. Social Services would not even let my children go to their grandparent’s funerals. It’s time for my family to be put back together. The CHIPS was dismissed and Social Services still won’t leave us alone.
Sara Peterson
Mabel, Minn.
|
|
|
Correct numbers for ‘Hunger in the Summer’
|
|
|
To the Editor:
In the Argus issue of June 9, there were some errors in the Letter to the Editor entitled, “Hunger in the Summer” by Larry Salm.
The following correction is being made to the sentence relating to 2009:
“In 2009 the Food Shelf distributed 50,458 pounds of food to 256 households with 667 persons who made a total of 1,874 visits.”
As stated in the previous letter, in 2010 we are seeing increases in needs for food. We need your help. Many need your help. Please donate food or cash to the Houston County Food Shelf now and as often as possible in the future. God bless Houston County.
Larry Salm
Caledonia, Minn.
|
|
|
State leaders need to figure it out!
|
|
|
To the Editor:
I appreciate how Minnesota legislators and the governor came together
this spring with a solution for providing medical care for the poorest
adults in our state through the GAMC program. I know the plan was not
perfect, it strains hospitals, particularly rural ones, and folks in
rural areas may have to travel a long distance, but at least they were
able to pass a bill that is important for many low income adults.
Now let’s consider others in Minnesota needing health care. Many have
no coverage because they cannot afford the premiums, such as farmers who
work daily with dangerous machinery, families with children, juggling
two jobs and school, underemployed and self-employed service workers,
small businesses just hanging on financially and others who need a plan.
If you can work on addressing GAMC – you can fix health care for those
underinsured or without it. Yes, a federal bill for health insurance
reform has passed nationally, but Minnesota can opt up and do better
with its own plan that would cover everyone and control cost.
I worked for 18 years without health coverage before I was eligible to
sign up for Medicare; 18 years worrying if I would be injured or get
seriously ill and no way to pay the bills. I was lucky - many are not.
Kids break arms, parents get serious diseases, farmers get injured.
Skilled, hard-working people lose their jobs and their health care.
We need more movement, commitment, cooperation, and solutions. This
fall, as we choose our next state leaders, we need leaders who will
commit to advance health care reform for all Minnesotans. Minnesota
would be stronger and healthier with a decent health care system.
We know it’s possible. We need one plan, with one payer, and all of us
in the pool together. It makes sense. We do it for Medicare, why not do
it for all Minnesotans?
Joe Morse, member
Land Stewardship Project Health Care Task Force
Winona, Minn.
|
|
|
To the author of ‘Upsetting visit to parents’ gravesite’
|
|
|
To the Editor:
Karen A (Heintz) Hudecek was at the cemetery May 24. Memorial day was May 31. Mike Meyer takes care of the German Lutheran cemetery and he does a good job. Mrs. Hudecek’s parents are in the German Lutheran cemetery.
The Evergreen cemetery is taken care of by Don Burmester and he does a great job. Evergreen cemetery and the German Lutheran Cemetery are right next to each other, so her friends at the Redwood will know from now on.
Karen was there seven days before Memorial Day. If I said there were no Christmas presents seven days before Christmas for me, just wait seven days and everything will work out.
Tom Renslo
President, Evergreen Cemetery
Caledonia, Minn.
|
|
|
