Mouthpiece: Let's see your economic plan for this area!

I have avoided this forum for awhile because I find Mouthpiece's constant bickering not in anyway beneficial for our community. Mouthpiece thinks he/she is doing a service by creating discussion. Well, in my opinion, you are really doing a disservice to this forum and turning people off.

I decided to peruse the forum again and was again very disgusted by the responses in the post "Is the Mayor wasting tax payers money" and felt compelled to state my thoughts. No, I am not a client of the Mayor's accounting firm!

I believe that constructive criticism is a good thing. You, on the other hand, seem to look for any little issue you can post to get people fired up. I have to wonder if it's just not to bring a little action to this forum.

I'd like to hear the specifics of your ideas for bringing good paying jobs to this area. I have read you think a waterpark, ice arena and law enforcement center would do this. A law enforcement center may; I do not know enough about it to say whether it would or not. I disagree with your other two suggestions. Perhaps you could give examples of waterparks and ice arenas and show how much they are grossing as fully self-supporting companies. Please provide references that we can verify. I can't imagine either a waterpark or ice rink would pay very high wages.

I was sad to see the Eahtonka article in the newspaper last week. I think that was really a great feature for tourism and think it is a true shame that more negatism caused that to cease operations. I took the cruise myself many years ago and learned a lot about the lake.

You don't appear to support the one viable opportunity for industry growth that may come to our area--the new power plant. There will apparently be more than 1000 construction workers here during the time the plant is built. The new plant will also add something like 30 new jobs. These 30 jobs are high wage jobs also.

So, how do you propose industries are brought into town? Please be specific and provide supporting examples.

I think your energies would benefit our area much more if you put them into developing strategies and getting something done instead of just trying to cause disputes and ill-feelings.

My area of specialty in graduate work was Rural Development. I have testified on Rural Development in United State Senate subcommittees and testified at least ten times in the State of Minnesota on said issues.

I also respect others and their opinions. The problem with this community is if you disagree with others you are labeled as being negative. If this community has any hope of survival it must be open minded and quit labeling THOSE OF US WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

The purpose of this forum is to hear and present all sides not just the side you want to here or the mayor wants to hear. If you are offended by hearing both sides then you have the right to shut down your computer. I will respect this. Fortunately this forum is liking watching TV, if you do not want to hear the news, both sides, turn it off.

The purpose is to educate and the purpose is to listen with respect.

You, like the mayor, did not answer the questions for those of us who are not as convinced of the mayor's positions. If I am hearing you right, you believe that if I do not agree with the mayor I should shut up!

I will also not sanction criminal and illegal activities. Make sure you have all of your facts straight when talking about the Eahtonka.

Finally two national issues are effecting us today. They are oil prices and the housing collapse. Ortonville is promoting tourism and housing. Tourism needs people driving cars to Ortonville and housing needs a secondary lending market.

Ortonville needs to promote policies that promote jobs, i.e., the medical facilities, schools and take advantage of the border. We have no tax on food or clothing in Minnesota. Should a good economic development plan exploit this? The answer is obvious. What in the current plan takes advantage of the Minnesota advantages?

I have a Development Plan if the city is interested. To present it hear takes away from a good debate of the existing plan. We need to change our direction, but let's discuss the current plan before debating a new plan.

WE NEED MEN AND WOMEN OF VISION. WE NEED PEOPLE TO LEAD THAT LOOK BEYOND THEIR OWN INTERESTS AND INSTEAD LOOK TO THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY. WHEN OUR LEADERS HAVE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS IT GIVES THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY AND MONEY USUALLY DISTORTS THEIR VISION. IS IT NEGATIVISM TO POINT THESE CONFLICTS OUT TO INSURE HONESTY IN GOVERNMENT? I HOPE NOT!

It is good to see people discuss what they think. Freedom of Speech is a foundation of this nation. Men died so that we could have that freedom. It is precious. It is encouraging to hear from alll of the people who have contributed to this website.

However, it is only "one" of the reasons for The Forums. There is the calendar, the churches, the prayer chain, the military, the schools, the election and the list goes on. If you don't like what's on TV you just change the channel, you don't throw out the TV. There are other aspects to The Forums, not just debates.

I have been reading these discussions and have on occasion bit my lip but there are some things that you might not have considered.

First of all you can't hear voice tone in a written medium. So one shouldn't necessarily "assume" the tone of someone else by what they write. It should also be noted that sometimes people tend to think that when a person uses all capital letters that they are being yelled at. That may not have been the intention of the writer but people often think that way. People should consider being very selective when they use all capital letters. A good example would be, "WOW, GREAT GAME!"

This might also be a proper time to point out that disparaging or belittling remarks never win an argument. Except for the other side, it makes them look good.

Please do not consider this in anyway a criticism. I think debate is healthy. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams (he was called a troublemaker), and so many of our founding fathers heatedly debated and discussed. What came of that is a great nation.

As for me, I try to never enter into a discussion expecting to win over the other person. Experience has taught me that people are usually emotionally attached to their opinions. Still it is invigorating to watch a healthy debate when it stays on track and deals with the facts. I look forward to more of that.