Quickies: Dog park on Park's back burner; AG comes to town
* Looks like the dog park proposal is squarely in the city's court. I chatted briefly with parks superintendent Steve Mullally the other night and he said it's pretty much on the "back burner" for the Park District.
* Sweet! Frolf in Crookston!
* Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is holding a presentation on the state's laws on open meetings and open records at 4 p.m., July 19, at the Alerus Center.
I was gonna just leave the notice at that. But a friend pointed out that this comes after his opponent, Democrat Bill Brudvik, questioned a recent ruling that the State Board of Higher Education didn't violate any laws when two of its members met with the governor in February to talk about university system Chancellor Robert Potts.
Whatever the motive, I gotta say that I've always liked the way Stenehjem treats the press. He's always approachable and makes himself available at strange hours.
* Sweet! Frolf in Crookston!
* Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is holding a presentation on the state's laws on open meetings and open records at 4 p.m., July 19, at the Alerus Center.
I was gonna just leave the notice at that. But a friend pointed out that this comes after his opponent, Democrat Bill Brudvik, questioned a recent ruling that the State Board of Higher Education didn't violate any laws when two of its members met with the governor in February to talk about university system Chancellor Robert Potts.
Whatever the motive, I gotta say that I've always liked the way Stenehjem treats the press. He's always approachable and makes himself available at strange hours.
posted by Tu-Uyen at 11:10 AM
6 Comments:
I've been following the dog park conversation for several months now, as I plan to move to Grand Forks from the East Coast in a couple of weeks. Aside from the location, I just don't understand why everyone is so upset about a dog park. Dog parks are wonderful. And, until Dave's dog has been to one, he won't know to ask to go.
My dog (who also has her own yard) asks me every afternoon. We go and interact with other members of our own respective species. We make friends and talk, gasp, face-to-face. The dogs run in figure-eights until they can barely walk home, tongues hanging out of their mouths. And the areas are fenced off, so that the dogs don't interfere with the enjoyment of other park users.
Here, we even have the formation of community groups to create, fund, and run their own dog parks where the only municipal contribution is a small square of land in an already existing park. Believe it or not, dog people here actually want to live in close proximity to such a park. I just don't get why a dog park is such a big issue.
Until my frisbee talks to me and says, "Sir, I'm would really like a metal basket to be tossed into... I'm tired of being tossed from hand to hand. Come on. Disc golf course, get on board," I won't support spending tax money on something that not every individual can enjoy.
Doesn't that just sound ludicrous? About as ludicrous as people insisting on calling disc golf "frolf" when the latter sounds more like what my dog did when it tried to bark.
Yet, forward-thinking folks are building disc golf courses.
"Here, we even have the formation of community groups to create, fund, and run their own dog parks where the only municipal contribution is a small square of land in an already existing park. Believe it or not, dog people here actually want to live in close proximity to such a park. I just don't get why a dog park is such a big issue.
It is an issue here just because of what you have stated. You have groups to pay for the park. Here, they want me to pay for it. I think I pay enough already. And $50,000 for a fence! Come on, I could plop one of those in for next to nothing!
Roaming Paws Advocacy Group, the guys that want the dog park, are willing to raise money, though they can't do it alone.
At any rate, I don't think the fact that you won't be using something is necessarily a good reason for the city not to fund it. It'd be pretty horrible if people without kids refuse to fund schools. A dog park isn't at that level, but what about sports programs for kids? There are fees involved but participants don't pay the entire cost.
Note to Disc Golfer: Haha. I know the proper term is "disc golf" but frolf sounds more fun.
"Frolf" is indeed a stupid new term for frisbee or disc golf, which is not a new game.
Stenehjam is up for election. His largest bases are Fargo, home of NDSUx, and Grand Forks.
He doesn't want to ruffle any feathers, and does want to raise his name recognition, in these communities. He is currently more interested in playing politics than executing his job as the states #1 law enforcement officer, and that's too bad for the assistant AGs and the rest of the state.
Did the Governor break open meeting laws by speaking to a series of government officials? I wonder why the AG wouldn't have interviewed Hoeven and asked who he had met with? Oh yah, Stenehjam is up for election.
Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
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