Letter: Longtime resident unhappy with city government

To the Editor-

There seems to be an alarming pattern in the city government in Stevens Point.

That is, the city is not listening to us. They didn’t listen to us about ACU/ADU and losing zoning regulations, they haven’t listened to us about spending money on items that only are used by a small number of people, such as the splash pad on the square that continues to waste $5.2 million gallons of treated water per summer that has now reached 82.3 million gallons (what a waste of a precious resource that is the lifeblood of our existence and runs all day, whether anyone is using it or not, rain or shine).

I suggested to the mayor that a meter be installed so that the users could put money in it and run for a minute or two, or downtown merchants could give credits for purchases to run the splash pad for a short time. Then when it is cold, rainy, cloudy, or windy, the precious water is not being wasted.

Bike lanes all over town that are completely and utterly empty of bike transportation cost the city $1,000,000 ($250,000 over budget) of property tax money, and now they want you to think that the Business 51 project is great only if they take away one of the lanes going north, and one going south.

Wait now! They aren’t even telling you that the referendum that is coming soon is about the Business 51 project, keeping it four lanes and helping businesses keep their access. The yard sign across the street from me (Director Ryan Kernoskey’s yard) wants us all to think it’s about paying higher taxes. They can’t even be honest and use the words “Business 51 project.”

City government would have you believe that the referendum has now been changed to a referendum about property taxes. No, it isn’t. The city officials tell us all kinds of untruths, also known as fabrications, falsehoods, misrepresentations, cock and bull stories, deceptions, lies, and doublespeak. You can choose the word you think fits. Have any of you heard of floods, fires, earthquakes?

Yet, the city continues to tell us to believe that taking away a northbound lane and a southbound lane on Business 51 (a major thoroughfare for all city residents) is a good thing. What about fire service, ambulance service? What about an evacuation plan? Have any of you seen any signs to indicate that we have a purposeful evacuation plan in the event that one of the previously mentioned disasters should arrive? What will people do? Oh, you say, that won’t happen to us. Yes, folks, fires, floods, and earthquakes surprise many towns and cities without warning. Our city officials would rather put their heads in the sand and hope like hell that it doesn’t happen here.

What they are really afraid of is that all of you will vote “yes” on the referendum issue and hold the city accountable on the issues of their irresponsible spending. That’s what this is all about. They don’t want reasonable people deciding if the city residents will have a say in projects that cost the property taxpayers an arm and a leg. A few minutes ago, I was on Clark/Division where I saw a yard sign that said “a monkey wrench” referendum. That it is. I don’t think the company that made the signs realized that the “yes” votes will put a huge monkey wrench in the city government’s plans to spend and spend on unrealistic and absurd dreams. But they won’t say the word “Business 51 project” on the signs, the real issue they are hiding behind.

And, by the way, who has paid for the signs that are serving the wishes of city government?

Let’s make people think it’s all about taxes. Have any of you been to a town/city that is removing lanes on busy/major streets? I haven’t. I admire Waupaca and its decision to remove street lights at the main intersections of the downtown area. I have been there many times since this decision, and there have been no accidents because they trust that the people living and visiting their city are good people, with the intelligence to stop, give another person a turn to cross, change direction, or both. Courtesy is the word. No pedestrians are getting killed/injured either. When will our city officials give our citizens a fighting chance that they may know more than the government? We need to show how much we know at the polls.

Now here’s another interesting story about our city officials and the decisions they make. In the area where I live, it has been long-planned that there will be a road rebuild (and along with that plan, swales which everyone knows do absolutely nothing to change the polluted water that goes into the WI River. We are three miles from the river and none of our water has ever traveled downtown.)

We live in an area that has been hard-hit by storms in the past 10 years. With approximately 121 homes in the area, 25 families have reported losing 500 trees to those storms. Now, the city is saying that along with the work of putting in swales and taking out trees, they don’t have the money to put in new trees to replace the ones they are removing.

Has anyone heard about the work of trees? They suck up to 100 gallons of water per day, use carbon dioxide to make oxygen, provide shade for our homes and homes for wildlife, some even provide food for wildlife. We have a sign at the entry into the city that tells “all the visitors and citizens” that we have been designated a Tree City. When the city hasn’t enough money to do an entire road rebuild with swales, then, pray tell, why is the project going ahead with only half being done, and no new trees?

I’ve been stating over the past four years; that if the city doesn’t have the money, then any project should be canceled or delayed. Money first, then projects. That’s how financially responsible people do things.

One of our city officials told me (in writing) that he doesn’t like my communication style. Now, why is that? Oh, I know that answer. I’ll be the first to tell you that I do the research before I say things. I know he would rather I didn’t write all this for others to know.

If I know it, I will say it/write it. I don’t change words to deceive or plan to devastate the homes, lives, and well-being of those that live in Stevens Point.

Ruth Pfiffner
Stevens Point