May 24, 2010
Monday

Over the last few years living in Ketchikan, I think our Borough government has been improving -- maybe from knowing and liking most all working there. With that said, I feel the city is just nuts. Why do we need this library? Where is your planing here? you have no place to build it, no thought at all in the area you select for the site. You get a good deal on the site, but what is the site? Have you dug holes yet? Yet that area is under development. It's going to have some kind of construction activity there for 30 years. Go ahead, put people out of work so you can have quiet. The only good thing I see about putting it there is the jail can let people check out books.

I just don't feel a new library is a good investment to our community in the state of the national problem. How is America going to get better? People need jobs but we don't make anything any more. Until we get some one tough enough to tell people we will log are trees and saw them into small lumber to and build stuff; and that we will dig holes in mountains and mine the materials while doing it with concern for our environment.

City government has no concerns for the cost the private person must pay to live in Ketchikan. Just in case the manager has forgotten, a community is made up by all of us in the Borough too. The city operates on our money all year long. we work in the city and we shop there. That is the main reason I feel we would be best off consolidating. We could finally have a say in all things such as to say "no" to building a new library. A community needs certain things. We have a library that is usually not full most of the time.

Communities are made up of all generations. We raise our children in Ketchikan, we work, play, drink, pray, and we make our lives here. That is why the pool is needed. I've been to too many tiny towns that had pools and hotels that had pools. Pools draw the community together. and bring pride. It's for the kids to learn to swim, learn to compete. the adults that need to exercise who might of been reading too many books at the library, the ones that just need therapy for injury's or age.

I am sorry but city management is not doing our locals any good. Don't keep me going, I am not as smart as David Hanger or as long-winded.

They could have put the fire department down by Tatsudas where they would not be running over tourists -- our bread -- and could have allowed a business that makes money in that location. Something like a big fish tank for all to see all the natural fish from our waters.

Robert McRoberts
Ketchikan AK

About: "Been here since 69, grew, learned, commercial fished, logged, saw-milled, built roads, water and sewer lines through-out the community. I've been here, done it all -- but hang from trees in Herring Cove. But I was there when Benny sawed his last few logs"

Received May 23, 2010 - Published May 24, 2010

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