The Forum

I saw an interesting note in the Village Manager’s Memo last week.

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Village Manager's Memo
May 17, 2007

“Presentation by D2D (Drive to Distinction). The Shorewood School District 's Drive to Distinction Committee has done an amazing job planning and fund raising for the upgrade of the high school and community athletic fields. The Committee will present its plan and request taxpayer funds to support the endeavor. The Board will act on the request at a future meeting.”
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I have no problem with spending tax dollars on the very necessary renovation of our sagging and outdated athletic facilities. There is no doubt about it: the football field/athletic complex desperately needs renovation. I have supported this renovation since its inception, and was even on the Drive to Distinction committee when it was formed.

But since the plans were expanded to add a dome to this otherwise perfectly sensible and necessary project, my thinking has changed. I have no interest in become the proud owner of a air supported seasonal dome.

We are spending literally millions of dollars to improve the visual appeal of Oakland and Capitol. As I write this, members of our Village staff are in the process of reviewing bids for streetscaping to improve the aesthetic appeal of our public spaces. How does adding a huge, white upside down bathtub to one of our largest open spaces fit into any streetscaping plan?