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Thomas Leek. (Facebook/Thomas Leek for District 8 Alderperson)

Column: Alderman says voters can chose to rebuild Bus. 51, or let deteriorate

Editor’s note: The following is an opinion piece submitted by an elected official. 

If the initiative establishing a million-dollar maximum submitted by challengers to the Stevens Point City Council is any indication, the spring election will offer a clear choice to voters: do we want to continue building this city, or will we bitterly debate the reconstruction of our streets block by block?

This choice is especially relevant to the taxpayers in the district I represent, who, should this initiative pass, would discover that only the most well-traveled roads would be funded. My choice is to build reliable infrastructure for all residents of Stevens Point with maximum external funding at minimal costs to taxpayers.

Engineering decisions must be made from informed vision, not paralyzing micro-management. When I, in my capacity as Stevens Point Alder, voted against sending the Business 51 project to referendum, it was with this principle in mind. Construction management by referendum is a terrible idea. It would be bad for the future of Business 51 and even worse applied as a general operating principle.

Consider how engineering by popular vote would work in practice.

Putting street reconstruction to a public vote sets neighborhood against neighborhood with no overarching plan. Suburban streets used only by local residents would go neglected.

A lack of predictability would discourage investment from new businesses, which would not be able to count on the city’s word. The city would be incapable of negotiating since business deals involving new development or additional infrastructure face the threat of rejection by voters.

Construction managers cannot answer to thousands of bosses. Too many cooks in the kitchen will result in ill-planned construction projects pitched to the whims of activists, not a realistic vision for the whole city.

I was quite surprised when the activist critics of the City Council submitted a referendum that goes far beyond the Business 51 project, instead, calling for any capital expenditure over $1,000,000 for roadway construction to be approved by popular referendum.

I do not understand why they want to stop the repair or your neighborhood roads, merely because they may not get their way on one project.

I represent District 8 of Stevens Point, an outlying borough with tracts of forest, few sidewalks, and streets many residents of Stevens Point never travel. This coming summer, the Ridge Road area of District 8 will be reconstructed at an estimated cost of $1,300,000. Imagine this project had required approval in districts whose residents might not know where Ridge Road is. They might decide that they prefer their own roads be reconstructed first.

As representative, I can advocate for my district with colleagues in an established decision-making process that delivers for the community. If a constituent asks when a road will be repaired or repaved, I can find the schedule and give the answer: in the coming summer, or two years out.

If every road construction project is subject to a referendum, I would have to answer, “Nobody knows. Maybe never.”

It is fair to criticize decisions of the City Council. No action will please everyone. But we are in an exciting time for Stevens Point: City Council, Mayor (Mike) Wiza, and city staff have cooperated to bring unprecedented new development to the taxpayers of Stevens Point. Where once extensive plots of land lay empty, new buildings are going up.

In the past four years, this community has seen $214,000,000 in net new construction. Work crews are renovating streets, and Stevens Point is becoming more attractive to new businesses. Slowing this down would only weaken our position for luring grants and new business so that we lose out to other communities. Our roads would be in worse condition with no clear path forward.

My vote against sending the Business 51 project to referendum was solely about how we make infrastructure decisions to prioritize the needs of our community. The City Council voted on 30 percent engineering and there is room for future discussion and specifics yet to be determined.

But this referendum is the wrong method for addressing the reconstruction of Business 51. I urge the voter of outlying neighborhoods to be aware of their interest in this process; future road repairs in your neighborhood may be delayed or canceled if voters approve the million-dollar maximum.

Stevens Point is a prosperous community. We should act like it and take care of our roads.

Thomas Leek is alderman of the city’s 8th District. He can be reached at 715-252-7515.