Entries in Hall of Fame (5)
A city to envy
In this day of political doom and gloom and frustration if not absolute disgust with our elected officials ...stands a city where the citizens paint a different picture.
Escanaba, Michigan. Tucked away on the upper peninsula of Michigan, this community is pretty pleased the way things are going in their little city.
According to the Daily Press of Escanaba...
Most city residents participating in a survey say Escanaba is an "excellent" to "good" place to live, raise children and retire.
Much of Escanaba's recent resident survey centered around the quality of life here and services and programs offered by the city, said City Manager Jim O'Toole.
"We wanted to get an overall idea of what the community is thinking," he said, adding this review is being done to ensure residents are getting the best possible services. Department heads will use the information to make improvements and encourage citizen involvement, he said.
Earlier this year, surveys were randomly sent to 1,314 city residents, representing 10 percent of the city's last census. A total of 559 completed surveys were returned.
That is a 42% return rate on a survey. That statistic alone is impressive!
The first question on the survey asked residents to describe the quality of life in Escanaba: 61 percent said the quality of life here is good; 19 percent said it's fair; and 17 percent replied it's excellent. Just over 2 percent said the quality of life in Escanaba is poor.
In rating Escanaba as a place to live, more than 79 percent of the respondents said excellent to good. With regard to raising children, more than 81 percent said the city is an excellent to good place. In rating the city as a place to retire, more than 67 percent replied excellent to good.
An overall average of 82 percent of respondents rated as excellent to good city services of electric, water, wastewater, garbage, library, parks, and recreation programs.
On an average, 65 percent of the respondents rated as excellent to good, the city's street maintenance, street cleanliness and snow removal.
Bottom line...
Overall, more than half the citizens responding to the survey agreed or strongly agreed they are receiving good value for their city taxes. Almost 34 percent had no opinion, 10 percent disagreed, and 2 percent strongly disagreed.
A measly 12% of the citizens didn't think they were getting good value for their city taxes. Twelve percent!
Other cities should be beating a path to Escanaba to find out what they are doing right.
These survey results have earned the City of Escanaba entry into the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame.
Congratulations Escanaba!
Let's have a big round of applause for...
Ken Bartelt. The newest inductee to the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame.
Ken is not an elected official. Ken is a government bureaucrat.
Ken is the Principal at Northwestern Middle School in Poplar, WI.
We learn the story from the St. Paul Pioneer Press...
Ken Bartelt, principal of Northwestern Middle School, refuses to take down the pictures of student hunters holding their ruffed grouse, deer and bear after complaints from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Last week, PETA wrote to Bartelt, asking him to remove the bulletin board because it encourages a "dangerous mindset" of violence in students.
The bulletin board with about 50 student pictures is in science teacher Russ Bailey's classroom. Bailey is a volunteer firearms safety instructor, and the pictures feature some of his students.
"Northwestern Middle School's 'hunting wall' is nothing more than a monument to violence, suffering and death,'' wrote PETA officials.
Poppycock, says our inductee, Mr. Bartelt. Well, actually he said...
"Hunting is a part of the culture, not only in our school but in many parts of the country, and especially so in northern Wisconsin.
"Students here at school get excited about it, and it seems that's all they talk about before and after they return."
During his five years as principal, he said, there have never been any violent acts. Even fistfights are "almost nonexistent," he wrote.
"Violence in our society is because of family and societal issues. I think hunter safety classes and hunting teaches respect for weapons, and that they are not for fun, destruction or violence. Hunters are probably the least violent subset of our society."
Local school decisions should be made, well, locally. Not in Washington D.C., and especially not at PETA headquarters in Norfolk, VA.
"Half of our school board are hunters,'' he said of the rural northern Wisconsin district, where hunting is a long-held tradition. "How could I explain that to them?"
Ken you don't need to explain anything more, to anyone. You stood up to PETA when many others would have wilted under the pressure.
Welcome Ken ... to the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame!
Al Arnold
in School Boards, Hall of Fame
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Genious or Insanity?
Mayor Sheldon Anderson of Wyoming, Minnesota has gained entrance into the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame. It has been said that there is a fine line between genius and insanity and Mayor Anderson walked that line this past week.
Mayor Anderson set up camp atop of the Wyoming City Hall in an attempt to collect $35,000 in donations to keep the local teen center operating this year. He climbed to the roof on February 2 vowing not to come down until the full amount of $35,000 was collected. Donations trickled in over the week but he was still $6,000 short of goal when the wicked winds of this past weekend started to howl. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported...
It wasn't looking too good Saturday night when it was minus 16 degrees, wind gusts up to 40 mph were caving in his tent atop the Wyoming City Hall...
But he made it through the night and Sunday morning, a family from Woodbury showed up and asked him to lower his donation bucket. He did and when he pulled it back up there was a check for $6,000.
It is a good thing that teen center didn't have to rely on me to collect that money under those conditions. The doors would be closed.
Congratulations Mayor Anderson.
How stupid can you get?
This induction into the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame is for stupidity.
"County officials are still investigating the matter and have not yet determined whether the charge was inappropriate, noting it could have been used for food."
Upon further investigation it was determined ...
"...the establishment does not sell full meals, only finger food that is available in the evening."
Finger food that is available in the evening?
This is definitely not sounding very good.
But, have no fear
"If it is determined the expense was for alcohol or other services offered at the establishment, disciplinary action would be taken."
Sweep, Sweep...
To whoever it was that placed that $71 charge on the County Debit Card .. you do belong in the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame ... for the ultimate in stupidity.
Walk on!
It is no secret I am a walker. I walk every day for both physical and mental exercise. Therefore, I like sidewalks.
I read a Letter to the Editor in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Sunday that warmed the cockles of my heart. Unfortunately it is not available on their web site. Thus, I will reprint a few portions of that letter written by James McGurk of Taylors Falls, Minnesota.
Mr. McGurk and neighbors in 1999 were "confronted with losing our actual property to road widening, curb and gutter, and new sidewalks". Mr. McGurk and neighbors were not happy with this "forced sell".
Now eight years later Mr. McGurk reports, "With the merit of great planning, and seeing the new sidewalk in use, it was all worth the perceived loss of our green space. Sidewalks are a life-line to those who do not drive, who enjoy exercise or who choose a greener lifestyle. Sidewalks are for those who want to 'live' in a neighborhood, not just for those who want to 'house' in a neighborhood. My bet is they even raise real estate values. Neighborhoods are much more neighborly when shared with others. Sidewalks need to be embraced and not feared...I say share and share alike".
Mr. McGurk, you belong in the Academy of Local Politics Hall of Fame!
Walk on!
Al Arnold
in Street Department, Hall of Fame
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