The Estesparkian has ears to the community. There is a cry for change and a call for an outline.
1. Home Rule
2. New community members to write the charter
3. End EPURA so that no more funding will be used for Town salaries and that no money will be spent on plans that don’t meet the charter (as in kayak course).
4. Create a long term advisory board that is elected by district to oversee long term planning
5. Combine sewer plants so we are prepared for the future with the best treatment facility possible and no more duplication of effort
6. Create and approve a marketing district which includes the YMCA and Cheely Camp and all other lodging properties that will begin charging a lodging tax
7. Eliminate all Town employees that work for marketing and sales. They are doing a lousy job and it is illegal for them to perform these functions
8. Support our school board and discourage the old guard from their recall efforts
9. Create a long term plan for Stanley Park which includes an event center that can be used year around by local children
10. Create an affordable housing district near the hospital. This wouldn’t lower the property values of existing homes but would make the area ripe for development of affordable housing units.
11. Make the downtown area a showplace. Nothing has been done since the flood to improve Main Street. In fact, only minimal maintenance has been performed.
12. Install bold signage for the river walk. People should be driven to that riverfront walkway. It would be good business.
13. If downtown events are going to be approved they should be scattered throughout town. This would make it more festive and would help local business attract customers who are now directed to Bond Park.
14. Create an advisory panel of retiree’s. There are many people that are experienced in marketing, community development and budgeting. They are now volunteering in the National Park. Why wouldn’t they also help the community be successful?
15. Start collecting our own sales tax. Our dollars would go up considerably by adding collections from art shows and the Scottish/Irish festival
These are all positive and proactive solutions that our town government should be striving for. Let’s work together to make it happen. How?
See #1 and #2 (above)
