In my previous post I mentioned that Caledonia is a unique community. One of the things that makes us so unique is our blend of rural and urban spaces. We have recreational parks with ball diamonds, soccer fields, playgrounds, etc., and we have passive parks that are open spaces with trails. Both types of parks are important to this community.
However, the Park and Rec Department, and the value of parks and programs, is an area in which my opponent (Ms. McCalvy) and I have distinctly different views.
Ms. McCalvy is the Village Board representative on the Park and Rec Commission, yet openly criticizes this Commission saying that it doesn't do anything except work on Crawford Park (for the past 10 years). She believes that Caledonia should place priority on investing in open space parkland and trails, and has decided to sidestep the Park Commission and the Village Board to accomplish this.
I couldn't disagree with Ms. McCalvy more. Although trails are nice, the children of Caledonia need places to go and things to do! Our recreational Parks are the only "quality of life" feature that Caledonia has to offer our kids!
The programs that the Park and Rec Department offer serve as an avenue to community involvement. The money generated by these programs stays within the Park and Rec Department so that it can sustain those programs that it offers to the community.
In 2007, the budgeted amount for the Park and Rec Department was $117,298. For 2008, the proposed budget for the Park and Rec Department is $ 67,939 (basically half of what it was the previous year). The Village of Caledonia itself finished out the year with about $1800 left from a roughly $12,000,000 levied budget. Currently, Caledonia cannot afford to buy more parkland, but if we could, it would be irresponsible (in my opinion) to buy more parkland that we need to maintain before existing parks like Crawford are finished. We need to finish the projects we've started before we take on any new projects!
Recently, the Village approved their official map giving them statuatory rights to about 12 new miles of proposed recreational trails, on land the village doesn't own. Ms. McCalvy has already made an unauthorized visit to the attorney to discuss these trails. Who's paying for all of this?(trails, maintenance, and attorney)
I think that Caledonia needs to seriously examine how we view our Park and Rec Department. We need to hire an enthusiastic Park and Rec Director (not an on-staff ecologist) that can develop this department that has tremendous potential; and work to expand upon and enhance it for a quality of life that everyone in our community can enjoy.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Question #4: "Why is it that Mt. Pleasant is growing and Caledonia isn't?"
Answer:
"The answer to this question is a relatively simple one... ATTITUDE.
Caledonia is definitely a divided community. There are those that want to see responsible commercial development settle into Caledonia to help to keep our taxes low. Then there are those who are very open about the fact that they do not want any more growth in Caledonia.
However, Caledonia is at a point where we need to start cutting expenses or we need to start making money. We've already begun the cutting, but there's only so much we can cut before we fail to provide the essential services the taxpayers of the village have paid for. We now should look at how we are going to make money. This could be accomplished by raising our taxes, or by attracting and retaining commercial growth.
I've heard it said somewhere that, "If you're not growing, you're dying." Caledonia has spent a great deal of time and money on neighborhood planning. In this planning there are places that are designated to be developed: Hwy 32, Hwy K, I-94, and the Franksville Industrial Park. Caledonia needs to get serious, take action to attract commercial development, and take the time to work WITH developers to retain these developments before we are forced to raise taxes.
Mt. Pleasant is obviously very serious about development. They have taken action, and have done a good job at attracting quality commercial development to their community. They do not have the development requirements, inconsistency in regulations as they apply to development, or the unwelcoming demeanor that Caledonia has; but Mt. Pleasant, instead is apparently willing to work with companies looking to locate in their community, rather than making it as difficult as possible. (I have learned that some contractors charge a higher fee to do work in Caledonia to compensate for the hassle and headache they encounter here in Caledonia. This is shameful to Caledonia, and not acceptable to me.)
In the end, Caledonia is Caledonia and Mt. Pleasant is Mt. Pleasant. Caledonia is unique and shouldn't necessarily want to be Mt. Pleasant, but we can learn a thing or two from them when it comes to attracting and retaining a commercial taxbase."
"The answer to this question is a relatively simple one... ATTITUDE.
Caledonia is definitely a divided community. There are those that want to see responsible commercial development settle into Caledonia to help to keep our taxes low. Then there are those who are very open about the fact that they do not want any more growth in Caledonia.
However, Caledonia is at a point where we need to start cutting expenses or we need to start making money. We've already begun the cutting, but there's only so much we can cut before we fail to provide the essential services the taxpayers of the village have paid for. We now should look at how we are going to make money. This could be accomplished by raising our taxes, or by attracting and retaining commercial growth.
I've heard it said somewhere that, "If you're not growing, you're dying." Caledonia has spent a great deal of time and money on neighborhood planning. In this planning there are places that are designated to be developed: Hwy 32, Hwy K, I-94, and the Franksville Industrial Park. Caledonia needs to get serious, take action to attract commercial development, and take the time to work WITH developers to retain these developments before we are forced to raise taxes.
Mt. Pleasant is obviously very serious about development. They have taken action, and have done a good job at attracting quality commercial development to their community. They do not have the development requirements, inconsistency in regulations as they apply to development, or the unwelcoming demeanor that Caledonia has; but Mt. Pleasant, instead is apparently willing to work with companies looking to locate in their community, rather than making it as difficult as possible. (I have learned that some contractors charge a higher fee to do work in Caledonia to compensate for the hassle and headache they encounter here in Caledonia. This is shameful to Caledonia, and not acceptable to me.)
In the end, Caledonia is Caledonia and Mt. Pleasant is Mt. Pleasant. Caledonia is unique and shouldn't necessarily want to be Mt. Pleasant, but we can learn a thing or two from them when it comes to attracting and retaining a commercial taxbase."
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Question #3: "What could Caledonia do to attract these commercial developments?"
Answer:
These are just a few of the things that I think Caledonia could do to attact commercial development to our community.
I would like to see Caledonia take on a marketing initiative to shed the "unfriendly" reputation that we have established for ourselves.
To attract the responsible commercial growth, I would like Caledonia to: update their website with accurate information promoting Caledonia, exercise some flexibility with some of the design standards that they have set in place, offer some incentives, and be more welcoming to development in our community.
Establishing commercial growth, particularily along Hwy K, may also help Caledonia to inch sewer and water out to the interstate; which is one thing that Caledonia needs to get serious about. Until we can accomplish this task, the I-94 corridor will remain largely undeveloped, and we will continue to lose out on development opportunities and the commercial taxbase that we need to keep resident taxes low.These are just a few of the things that I think Caledonia could do to attact commercial development to our community.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Question #2: "Where would this development happen here in Caledonia?"
Answer:
"No one wants to see Caledonia completely paved from one end to the other. That is why I would like to follow the Land Use Plan that Caledonia currently has, and encourage commercial development in the areas that are slated to be developed like: the Hwy K, I-94, and Hwy 32 corridors, as well as the Franksville Industrial Park."
"No one wants to see Caledonia completely paved from one end to the other. That is why I would like to follow the Land Use Plan that Caledonia currently has, and encourage commercial development in the areas that are slated to be developed like: the Hwy K, I-94, and Hwy 32 corridors, as well as the Franksville Industrial Park."
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