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Viewpoints

White Cliff
By Scott Kline

 

September 20, 2006
Wednesday


Looking at the lay out of the White Cliff project it looks like the seniors only get 8-10 thousand square feet of space in the building, while the arts will get the remaining 37 thousand square feet. The seniors say they have been interested in the building for a decade. How long have the arts been interested? Did the arts jump onto the wagon a decade ago also? I have absolutely nothing against the seniors at all, matter of fact I hang out with a very good group every Monday night and every third Saturday of each month. I would do anything for these guys as they are veterans, they are my commrads, and some I even call Dad. They are a non-profit group that many people ask to donate to their cause and they do.

For the 8-10 thousand square feet the seniors are getting, I think it would be wiser to build a new facility instead of renovating an old structure that could quite possibly over run by a milion or so.

How about building a new library for all of Ketchikan to use (2 million) and refubish the library for the seniors to relocate to. It has a central location, parking, already has handicap access, a water view (the creek), newer structure, and lower maintanance cost, etc.

How about vote in the sales tax increase, 6 million to a senior center and new library, and a million to 10 non profit orgs in Ketchikan. Then let's talk about community involvement, let's talk about volunteering to steer our kids down the right path, let's talk about a community that plays together and stays together.

The way it is set up the seniors will get 4 million worth of refurb building and the arts gets 10 million worth. Doesn't that seem a little excessive for one non profit org to get while there are plenty of other non profit orgs that deserve it just as much.

One last thing, $218,000 for local art in the cost of the building. If we're paying for a building for the arts shouldn't they donate their art to be displayed?

Better use for a whole bunch of money for all the kids,

Scott Kline
Ketchikan, AK - USA




About: "11 yr resident, Father of baseball and softball players, participatwes with seniors every Monday night"

 

On the Web:

Proposition 1 - Sales Tax Increase: For the full text of Ordinance No. 1403 click here
http://borough.ketchikan.ak.us/clerks/documents/1403.pdf

Proposition 2 - Bonds: For the full text of Ordinance No. 1404 click here
http://borough.ketchikan.ak.us/clerks/documents/1404.pdf

White Cliff Project
http://www.ketchikanarts.org/whitecliff

 

 

 

Note: Comments published on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
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