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Thanks for planner presentation

To the editor:
I would like to thank the many individuals and businesses who contributed funds to Wild River Audubon in order to bring Eben Fodor, community planner, consultant and nationally acclaimed author of ìBetter Not Bigger - How to Take Control of Urban Growth and Improve Your Communityî to North Branch.
He presented a program titled ìGrowth:Taking Control of Our Destiny in East Central Minnesota.î
Fodorís address was stimulating. Backed with his pioneering research, he shared the myths of growth that contradict the general way of thinking that growth is always good for the health of a thriving community.
Even though urban growth is a complex issue, Fodor encouraged people to get involved, go to meetings, write letters and support candidates who have the communityís best interest in mind.
He explained there are special interest groups out there wherever there is rapid growth that are going to work very hard at helping elect candidates who are sympathetic toward personal gain rather than a sustainable community where the democratic process thrives.
Thank you to Jeanie Leland and the staff with the North Branch Community Education for co-sponsoring the event to make it possible to use the high school auditorium. Special thanks to those National Honor Society students at North Branch who provided child care for the evening.
Thank you to the nearly 140 people who attended the presentation. It was especially gratifying to see 20 policy makers from the area who came on their own initiative.
These included four mayors, a state senator, county commissioners, city council members and planning commission members from several communities, township supervisors and school board members.
Fodor began the evening by reassuring the crowd that small is great. By the end of the evening I was feeling heartfelt gratitude to all who made it possible for Fodor to share his work with us.
There are still some copies of his book available at $15 each plus mailing costs. There are also one page summaries of ìThe Twelve Myths of Growthî remaining at no cost. To receive a book or the summary call me at (651) 462-7353.
Tom Anderson, Wild River Audubon board member, North Branch

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