Letter to the Editor: Of ‘Special Interest’

Sturgeon Bay is being sacked by special interest groups intent on the promotion of their narrow agenda. It will drain the resources of Sturgeon Bay, block the view of a waterfront parcel, stick us with an ugly, deteriorating building and prohibit the generation of substantial tax money from the property.

Prohibiting a development on the property has cost us $160,000 a year in tax revenue. Our roads are in need of repair, snow removal budget cut and no plan for revenue generation. Money generated is apparently going to fight lawsuits. Any city must generate more revenue than it spends.

Not one West Side resident I have talked to wants the ugly Granary back. The group wants to give the city the Granary as a gift, a “gift” that is not an asset but a liability. They have designated a sum for building maintenance, far short I fear to maintain a building of that age. This building belongs at Big Creek, or as a pile of fire ash; it does not belong in downtown Sturgeon Bay.

In order to add a third story to the building, the building height ordinance was altered to allow “historic” buildings to exceed the 35′ maximum height requirement. The building and the new ordinance stink. It has had 100 years of rotting grain, rat, mouse, cat urine and hazardous chemicals soaked into the wood. As I understand it, nobody is willing to certify that building can be rendered fit for habitation. I believe they now want to add a third story at its base and leave the original building unused. An ugly reminder to Sturgeon Bay of the wastefulness in the city government.

Council meetings are chaotic riots, the audience packed with special interest minions rudely shouting down anyone not agreeing with them; an insulting cacophony of bias drivel. There is an election coming. Three of the council members committed a felonious act. Rather than representing their constituents, they represent their own narrow interest at great detriment to Sturgeon Bay. Vote for the progression of our community, not the regression of it.

Ken Mac Donald

Sturgeon Bay, Wis.