FORWARNING.. if you aren't interested in
small town government.. then by pass this
post, as it is LONG!! .
And
I will see you in another day or two.
About
a month ago, the town had a survey sent out
to
the residents. The purpose was to see
how the
town
was doing.. what would you like to have and
not
like to have in the town.
I
forgot how many households we have here in our
little
title town of 660+. But they said that only 15%
of
the people return the survey... Which
is kind of
normal..
some people just don't like survey's, I guess.
After
the survey's went out.. they had 3
meetings.
The
getting to know you meeting at the elementary
school.
There was about 8 or 10 HOME TEAM.
What
ever that was suppose to mean. They were
people
of different resources. One was from the
Idaho
Transportation Department. There was a
man
who dealt in small business loans, and the
was
one to do with economy (not sure what he
was
going to do) and to be honest with you, I
don't
remember what the other experts were.
There
were 2 residents there. One man and my
self. Then a little bit later another resident
showed
up but he was also on the HOME TEAM.
Being
his family was here before the beginning of
time,
sort of... I guess his expertise was history
of
the town.
Next
day came the "Listening" meeting at the
city
hall. Suppose to be 4 or 5 one hour
long
meetings. But I guess because of the lack of
interest
the night before, they narrowed it down
to
... one hour.. Of which there were 3 of
us
and
the head of the HOME TEAM. There was
the
EMT, who does not live here, but does deal
with
the people and streets of our little town.
This
time there was a man who does business in
our
little town... but lives else where. So he gave
information
of what he thought our town could use
from
the business stand point.
We
were to answer questions that the HOME TEAM
asked...
What do you like about our town? What
do
you
not like about our town? What is it you
don't want
to
see come to our town? and what assessment do you
make
on the town? This was an discussion but
also
what
we were to write down on the paper that they gave
us
which with out our names on it.. was collected at the
end
of the meeting.
And
last but not least... was the meeting that was held
at
the old Coldwater Creek building.. When it was mention
the
night before.. I said they better have some good directions
there,
as the buildings are 4 large ones and most of us
don't
know anything about any of the buildings. They
reassured
us they would. NOT....
We,
as in a couple, and a man and myself.. went into the
only
building that had a light on. No one
was there and
the
meeting was to start in 8 minutes. Some
house keepers
came
by, and didn't know what we were doing there.. but
did
try to find out what was going on for us.. But no luck.
So
we went out side and another man and a woman join
us
as we walked around the parking lot like zombies..looking
for
a building that was lit up.
Nothing. The couple went for
a
drive around all the buildings and came up with the proper
place.
The one woman gave me a ride to where that was.
Meaning
we were 10 minutes late because of lack of directions.
But
at least this one was hopeful, as there was about 20
people
there besides the HOME TEAM. Two of our
ex
mayors
were there.. a couple of business owners and
several
of us residents..(about 4 of us)
It
seems that the 15% of the people who did answered
the
survey... which totaled 51 people... 67 % women,
33%
men. 80% of them were over the age of
56. and
88%
lived here and 12% were outsiders.(business
owners?)
For
the most part, the survey people liked the town just
the
way it is... with maybe a slight twitting.
It
started off with to me.. Bonner county likes.. Fire Dept.
Library,
schools from K-12 and Emergency/health
care.
All
of which we get from the County, mainly Sandpoint.
City
wise.. like our water dept. (which is from Sandpoint)
appearance
(but didn't like the cluttered junk cars) and
the
housing availability.
Low
bar was lack of sidewalks, lack of jobs in the town,
and
cluttered yards.
High
points was also Bonner County.. which was
Farmer's
market and entertainment.
Low
level was .. lack of support of downtown of our
town.
Which really is non-existing. Where can
you
have
a parade? That there really isn't
services and
products
in the own.
Some
of the wants was... low growth, lake access,
better
park maintenance. Concerns about storm
drainage.
They
did like the property taxes were low. and
housing
was affordable.
What
surprised the HOME TEAM, was there was no
mention
of Coldwater Creek building, in any way..
not
the closing, or what is coming in it.. NOTHING
AT
ALL.
Things
of the future... were the Railroad Street
area,
which belongs to the state of Idaho, not the
city. Which has a small area of commercial
zone.
Also
the concern of the congestion of that area,
the
safety, and pedestrians as the growth on the
south
side of Highway 200. As there is a area
that
will house the museum and the Tractor Club
garage. Along with the possible small stores, bar?
restaurant
and etc. What can be done? Lower
the
highway's speed limit from 45 to lower?
Also
was mention.. limited some highway access. Which
to
me is questionable. Anyone who has ever
come to our
town..
knows there is only one way out. and that is a big
problem
at 7:30am.. It is only by the grace of the drivers
coming
from Hope, Clark Fork, Montana and north
of
our town, that we get out on the highway. And if you
don't
work.. you don't try to get out of town for an hour
during
that time. Even getting back in out own
town
at
4pm can be tricky.
So
last but not least, was the survey's wants (and the
people
at the meetings) was more walking safe zones.
Clean
up properties, have more community
programs.
They
mention the school as one of the place.. (but I
guess
no one told them that the school already does
have
things there. Church, rummage sales,
games,
school
events and etc.
The
HOME TEAM mention more retail near the school
(don't
know how that would happen.. who wants to
get
rid of them homes that surround the school?)
More
youth events. Build up the business
area of
Highway
200. filling up empty stores.
Have
movie night at the Park (I presume in the
summer) Have Easter egg hunts. Have food
vendors,
mobile one (guess they didn't know we
had
one and he moved out because of lack of
business)
They
thought to revise the park, open it up, take
down
the one fence.. or maybe have a dog park
there
for off lease dogs..
To
have a retail area at the corner of McGhee Road
and
2nd Avenue. Open up 2nd Avenue and
connect
to
the rest of town.. (which the city has been working
on.)
Have
train theme on the south side of the Highway
200
in the commercial zone. To define our
image.
Old
logging town, Village and etc.
Build
up and join the town, the Sandpoint Tech
Center..
which most of us didn't have clue what
that
was.. until it was mention the Coldwater Creek area.
By
have a call center and tech jobs there.
They
named different business we could have, like the
coffee
shop we use to have before the owner retired.
They
mention getting grants for some of these.. but they
also
mention the two terror's of any town residents... One
that
have been voted down before.. L.I.D.
AND U.R.D.
just
the thought of a Urban Renewal District and mere
mention
of L.I.D. sends our residents in to fits.
One
of the things I didn't see them or hear them
address,
at
least I didn't hear it.. was the average income of the
resident
of our town. I venture to say, that half of our
town
is retirees.. We are a bedroom town.. meaning
people
live and sleep here, but they work else where.
Not
high income people.
Anyway..
it will be interesting to see where the town
takes
all of this. Because the general census
is ... leave
our
town alone.. we like it just the way it is.. well, maybe
a
few things.. like a mom and pop restaurant...and bar-b
que
in the park once a year. and CLEAN UP
THE YARDS.
And
that is my humble understanding of what all the meetings
were.
Like anything else.. it is all up to the beholder.
