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Whose needs are being served?

To the editor:
What happened at the city council meeting on Nov. 25 was disgusting and a disgrace. A 160-acre development outside the water/sewer area was re-zoned. The planning commission voted to deny this re-zoning. This development did not conform to the current comprehensive plan, or to the proposed one the planning commission is still working on. It will have the potential to have 4 homes built on 1 acre. (Not including roads and a maximum of 16-acre park). Cited were the reasons for denying the re-zoning by the planning commission: Lack of infrastructure such as schools, roads, lack of adequate staff to service the city such as police, firemen, and public works.
Mayor Roger Else, councilmen Rod Lofquist, John Pace, Jr. and Larry Erickson, voted for this new development. Apparently as far as they are concerned there is no problem to our infrastructure within the city of North Branch, otherwise why would they go against their own planning commission as well as the cityís present comprehensive plan?
Since there is no problem in North Branch, we donít need to pass any more referenda for the school. We donít need any more police, volunteer firemen nor do we need any more public works employees. We donít need a new sewage plant, as well as a new half-million gallon well. We do not have a problem with the traffic in North Branch nor do we need a bridge over I-35. If we needed any of the above, why (using common sense) would we add another large development with the potential of 384 new homes on a two lane road that is marginal at best. This development could add around 576 new children to our overcrowded schools.
Only one councilwoman Amy Ohlers used her common sense and voted or the working class families. She voted to deny this development.
The only thing that was done in passing this development is to continue financial overburdening the citizens of North Branch. When roads need to be updated and it canít be assessed to property owners then it will come out of the general fund. That is our property tax money. So we do pay for development.
Why would they pass the development? One might ask; who is the developer of the property? Why does most of the city council continue to play the wants of the special interest groups above and beyond the general citizen? One could wonder who really runs the city of North Branch? Is it the city council or is someone else ìpulling the strings?î
With this continued overburdening to the citizens, and the new property tax statements (the new school cost is not on the statement yet) how can working class families with children, or older adults on fixed incomes afford to continue to live here?
We have the highest home foreclosure since WWII. What else does the city council have in store for its citizens?
A few of the citizens have been video taping the city council meeting as well as the planning commission meetings. If you have cable you can watch it and see exactly who represents your interests and who represents the special interest groups.
It will be on cable on Mondays from 2 to 4 p.m. on channel 10.
Theresa Furman
North Branch

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