There is an article regarding the colored concrete on the front page of The Citizen today.
Failed Concrete: City at Crossroads for Solution
By Loretta B. Harding,
Contributing Writer
The Centerville City Council is trying to solve the mystery of damaged colored concrete pavement panels at the intersection of Main Street (CSAH 14) and Centerville Road. Earlier this month, members of the Public Works Department noticed damaged joints on the colored concrete installed downtown in the summer of 2008 as part of Anoka County’s Main Street Reconstruction Project.
Link Full Story Here.
Previous news account on the history of the additional $517,000 past council approved for street-scaping. Colored concrete, decorative lights...
Link Here
Additional Engineering fees in excess of $72,000 associated with "overseeing" County workers complete construction on COUNTY ROAD 14.
Link Here
Further inspection and fee discussions.
Link Here
Controversial resolution.
Link Here
Please note that previous council voted to add the colored concrete on County 14. They debated the five different colors during the 7/23/2008 session. Jeff Paar is quoted in the approved minutes stating "The color draws attention to the crosswalk". Statz, Bonestroo engineer stated "The color coming into the downtown area makes traffic calmer and drivers aware they are coming into a downtown area." A fair amount of time (15-20 minutes) was spent viewing concrete samples and debating the various shades of color to be chosen.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Another Resident Heard in the Mailbag
Input and Output
“If your input doesn’t exceed your output, the upkeep will be your downfall.” Be careful not to construe this phrase as meaning, “Tax more to continue lavish spending.” Centerville consistently ranks in the top taxed cities in Minnesota since 2004. Dean Luxenburg’s letter to the editor in The Citizen’s March 3 issue has it right. Costs must be trimmed.
Is the city’s “output” of colored concrete, 43 street lamps within two blocks, six city parks in a two-mile-wide city (additional parks forecasted), added bike trails, development of a “downtown,” and 10 employees justification enough for consistent tax increases?
These things—most of them implemented since 2004—are nice, but are they needed?
Government’s role is to uphold, protect and secure individual sovereignty and the right of private property, not to serve the collective good over the individual by giving us nice things. Consider this: Centerville’s debt in 2004 was over $5 million and, by the end of 2010, an arduous $11 million. This is a reckless extension of debt in only six years. Cuts in spending must occur. If not, the “upkeep” will be Centerville’s downfall.
LyNae Marshall
Centerville
Link Here
“If your input doesn’t exceed your output, the upkeep will be your downfall.” Be careful not to construe this phrase as meaning, “Tax more to continue lavish spending.” Centerville consistently ranks in the top taxed cities in Minnesota since 2004. Dean Luxenburg’s letter to the editor in The Citizen’s March 3 issue has it right. Costs must be trimmed.
Is the city’s “output” of colored concrete, 43 street lamps within two blocks, six city parks in a two-mile-wide city (additional parks forecasted), added bike trails, development of a “downtown,” and 10 employees justification enough for consistent tax increases?
These things—most of them implemented since 2004—are nice, but are they needed?
Government’s role is to uphold, protect and secure individual sovereignty and the right of private property, not to serve the collective good over the individual by giving us nice things. Consider this: Centerville’s debt in 2004 was over $5 million and, by the end of 2010, an arduous $11 million. This is a reckless extension of debt in only six years. Cuts in spending must occur. If not, the “upkeep” will be Centerville’s downfall.
LyNae Marshall
Centerville
Link Here
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