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3/6/2007
Appleton West project is not about equity
It took me time and study, but I’m convinced. The $5M expansion of Appleton’s West High School into its surrounding mature neighborhood is a natural redevelopment of the area and will be a plus for Appleton and the Appleton Area School District if it proceeds.
As time passes, things change. Neighborhoods change. (Look at Pompeii!) I’m convinced that this central city school can use more and better space. I’m convinced by thorough school board explanations, that suggested alternatives locations for a Sports Complex have more negatives than does the adjoining neighborhood site.
I’m convinced that a new Sports Complex (funded 60% by contributions) will do more to redevelop a central city neighborhood than to detract from existing affordable housing. (That one was a stickler for me…)
And I’m convinced the school district will do everything they can to avoid eminent domain while homeowners remain unwilling to sell.
Now, the quid pro quo….
Appleton West, I implore you to continue to celebrate and trumpet those areas in which your school is different from “the other two” instead of screaming for “equity!”
I implore you to continue to accentuate your non-sports extra-curriculars as much as the Sports Complex accentuates athletics.
And I implore you to continue to increase pride in your school, to model good behavior and good character, and to refuse to tolerate discrimination, disrespect and disunity.
City of Appleton, I implore you to do more to uplift our mature, central city. Continue your successful Neighborhood Revitalization Program. Be proactive (not just reactive) in chasing down residential exterior code violations.
I implore you too, to look to Milwaukee to seriously research municipal codes that might facilitate limited residential interior inspections, typically as a piece of a landlord permitting process.
And lastly, I beg you find a diplomatic and political route that will enable the implementation of a section in the code that will provide a high standard for the exterior maintenance of commercial structures, similar to what the code already provides for residential structures.
Managing, planning, and “visioning” for a City is hard work. Approving the concept plan for the Appleton West High School Sports Complex will be a tough decision for alderpersons. Aren’t those tough decisions why they get paid the (not quite so) big bucks?
COMMENTS
And I "implore" the backers of this plan to be reasonable. I am tired of hearing that the space is needed for PE classes. PE classes are held outside two-maybe three months per year.
I still like teaching the three R's.
David (Tue Mar 06 08:10:05 2007)
The reason I am writing today is that I do have serious reservations about acquiring private property through eminent domain whatever the reason. It seems that so many of our rights as citizens are being eroded recently so I believe very strongly that we have to be especially careful. I realize that this procedure is not new, it has been around for a long time but that doesn't make it any less odious. Not everyone (especially older people who have lived in the same neighborhood for years) is strong enough to weather the upheaval that this can bring to them. Even though they are given "fair market value" for their home, it very often does not cover costs associated with moving, included finding another comperable home in a similar neighborhood. Added to that is the emotional loss of losing neighbors and friends of many years. Nothing can compensate for that.
I hope very much that if this project does move ahead (I am an old West High graduate myself) it is not at the expense of those neighbors who do not wish to sell their homes and would just like to be left alone to enjoy their lives as they have known them.
Barb (Tue Mar 06 10:13:05 2007)
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