St Croix River about to lose another access.

  • jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 5, 2003 at 5:53 pm #1227217

    A must read story in today’s pioneer press written by Mary Divine.

    http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/5106840.htm

    Although most of us could not get our boat in at this public access, I’d hate to see it given away free to a couple of private citizens! Someday the money may be available to do the needed upgrades that would allow us some free access to the river. As it is now, most of us pay an ever increasing fee to get on the river. To let this one slip away is a true shame!

    Jon J.

    RipnLips1
    Roberts,Wi
    Posts: 121
    February 5, 2003 at 6:04 pm #251645

    Jon maybe its time to get on the soap box again.LOL!!You can sure debate,were you in debate team in school?Really though is there a contact to protest this or not?

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 5, 2003 at 6:09 pm #251646

    I’m working on it buddy…… No doubt there are a few nasty grams to be sent!

    I’ll post what I find out.

    J.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 5, 2003 at 6:32 pm #251648

    Here is what really chaps my buns…. You have the Mayor Bob Harvey in Ka-Hoots with city council member Dave Jarvis who’s property is next to the public access. Not to mention Dave Jarvis’ father in law in on the other side! This smells like rotten fish to me!

    J.

    Joe Mama
    Stillwater
    Posts: 15
    February 5, 2003 at 9:00 pm #251653

    Boy, you guys sure are tough. What’s wrong with a city council voting to gift its members some free lake shore? The one guy says he’d more than happily pay for it, but it’s not allowed by law. We wouldn’t want our respectable (or otherwise) public officials breaking the law, would we? Especially if it would cost them money to do so, would we? Especially if they can just get the land for free, would we?

    stillakid2
    Roberts, WI
    Posts: 4603
    February 5, 2003 at 9:11 pm #251654

    I agree John…………there’s definitely a benefit to favoritism and personal relationship in this matter. Jarvis talks a good game but he stands to gain it all if the father figure ever passes his share down! I’d be “Joe Friendly” too!

    Let me know what I can do to help you with this one Jon! If anything, the city doesn’t want it, the citizens want to keep it, the DNR says “leave it alone”, why not submit the property to state ownership and let the DNR have run of the access? No longer a city problem and the access stays public! Whatever the red tape is, the solution is NOT that difficult. It’s just getting past any and all legal leverages.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13292
    February 5, 2003 at 9:51 pm #251655

    Hey John. would you feel better if they gave it to me? I wouldnt mind and I have no ties to the city at all. Who do I call about this? My plans for the spot would be maybe some chairs and a couple of old sofas for everyone to use.
    I do not like the idea of loosing more public access to the river either. If there was more than the two parties interisted in this property do you think it would throw the red tape into the idea of giving it away?
    I am serious about taking this property off there hands and I dont even know where it is at.

    rivereyes
    Osceola, Wisconsin
    Posts: 2782
    February 5, 2003 at 10:55 pm #251659

    Im sure they are wishing this never hit the papers… its kind of hard for even a politician to look good giving public land away to friends and relatives.. talk about abuse of power!!
    Its a dirty shame he cant BUY the property… so now he gets it FREE?? but… oh no… he just MIGHT have to pay taxes on it…. I bet the state could develop the land… (though in their current budget crunch they wont be doing nothing for a while!)…. at the very least it should be put into control of a neighborhood association… I would think with a little volunteer labor and a few bucks a decent path and dock could be put in….. for shorline fishing and portable craft….

    todd_miller
    Houlton, WI.
    Posts: 244
    February 5, 2003 at 11:22 pm #251661

    This needs to be stopped!!! Sounds pretty dirty to me. If anyone has any contact info please post it so us FTR’s can get on the emails and let our message be heard.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 6, 2003 at 2:21 am #251674

    I’m having a hard time getting anyone to actually pick up a phone!

    Here is the deal. The city council in Lakeland Shores is going to make this vote tomorrow. (Thursday 2/6/2003) We have to try and make this a bigger deal. The paper gets overlooked, TV turns heads. Go out to all the local TV websites.

    http://www.wcco.com/

    http://www.kare11.com/

    http://www.kstp.com/

    Leave a message in their “Contact Us” links. Mention you read the story in the St Paul Pioneer Press and you are pissed! Let’s have TV cameras at the city council meeting vote. TV loves a good scandal!

    Jon J.

    clarence_chapman
    Hastings, MN Lake Isabel activist
    Posts: 1345
    February 6, 2003 at 2:43 am #251678

    Sounds like a conflict of interest to me.
    I’m surprised the city attorney hasn’t piped up yet.
    There could certainly be charges made to that.
    Maybe the DNR should start confiscating land and selling it to themselves. Not much different. You would think that the citzens of Lakeland would be up in arms about it.
    Or have they pushed this through quick as not to attract attention.
    My 2 cents

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 6, 2003 at 2:45 am #251679

    Hey Mike W,

    I agree. Even a couple lawn chairs for EVERYONE to use would be cool with me! The property is located right on the border of Lakeland Shores and Lakeland, Mn. About 4-6 miles south of hiway 94. (If I remember correctly)

    StillaKid has the best solution yet…. Let the state fix it up. Let the DNR take it over.

    J.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 6, 2003 at 2:49 am #251680

    Chappy342

    That’s exactly the kind of message to send to these people. Please send that message to the TV stations.

    To be valid, use your real name, address and phone number.

    We have beat this stuff in the past, we can do it again.

    Thanks,

    Jon J.

    leinieman
    Chippewa Valley (Dunnville Bottoms)
    Posts: 1372
    February 6, 2003 at 3:09 am #251687

    Boy that sounds like the perfect spot for a hadicap accessible fishig pier. Maybe they could donate the land to someone for that use.Steve

    rivereyes
    Osceola, Wisconsin
    Posts: 2782
    February 6, 2003 at 3:15 am #251688

    Ive been on a slow burn since Ive heard of this…. as slowly it comes to me a number of possible uses for such a site… how could anyone consider GIVING public assests away? particularly to a private interest… and worse yet to friends and relatives????
    how could ANYONE consider them more valuable as property tax? it would take years and years and years to recover the value of the property through tax…

    eyesforever
    IGH, MN
    Posts: 46
    February 6, 2003 at 5:11 am #251693

    PEW!!!!!
    Thanks for bringing this one to our attention.

    clarence_chapman
    Hastings, MN Lake Isabel activist
    Posts: 1345
    February 6, 2003 at 1:11 pm #251704

    Already done.
    Couldn’t let that one go.
    Thanks for letting us know.

    TommyJ
    Hudson WI
    Posts: 12
    February 6, 2003 at 5:33 pm #251723

    you are right about calling and getting a response. I would sure like to help keep the land to the public and let it be used as a fishing spot like most of the wisconsin shores are

    post any way we may help

    stevew
    Burnsville, MN
    Posts: 412
    February 6, 2003 at 7:54 pm #251730

    Anybody see the story on KARE last night about the DNR?!?!?! They are apparently spending money like crazy on seminars, travel and entertainment. I’m not sure I’d turn anything over to the DNR until they get their act cleaned up!

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 6, 2003 at 9:20 pm #251741

    That nonsense stopped when Pawlenty took office. All that crap happened under the watch of Ventura and Garber! No more.

    Please, everyone, take a minute and send a message to the TV stations listed above. I think it is our only chance here. These guys won’t give me any consideration because I don’t live in their voting district.

    Jon J.

    RipnLips1
    Roberts,Wi
    Posts: 121
    February 6, 2003 at 9:24 pm #251742

    Sent my voice over.Leaving a contact # also.

    clarence_chapman
    Hastings, MN Lake Isabel activist
    Posts: 1345
    February 6, 2003 at 10:36 pm #251746

    I got a request for more info from KSTP. I sent them the link to this post. Lots of opinions delivered that way.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 6, 2003 at 11:10 pm #251748

    I got a message from KARE 11. They are looking into the story.

    Jon J.

    CatfishJohn
    Posts: 41
    February 10, 2003 at 2:54 am #251953

    Gordy Jarvis, the adjacent property owner and father of David Jarvis who would get half the property here, is the owner of the Afton House and Afton Cruise Lines. Like Red Wing Shoes, you might apply a little pressure there…

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    February 10, 2003 at 4:18 pm #251976

    Here is the follow up story and how they voted. Thanks to everyone who made a call or sent a message. And thanks to Mike Martinez of the DNR, who attended the meeting. He said the department’s position remains the same: The land should stay open to public access.

    http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/5134493.htm

    Jon J.

    stillakid2
    Roberts, WI
    Posts: 4603
    February 10, 2003 at 5:14 pm #251981

    a BIG THANKS to you Jon for staying with this one. If I’m reading correctly, they’re going to re-address the decision in 120 days? If I read that right, there should be some more lobbying to do? It’s nice to see that the city council wasn’t in a hurry to make a choice!

    Thanks again Jon!

    rivereyes
    Osceola, Wisconsin
    Posts: 2782
    February 10, 2003 at 5:33 pm #251983

    actually it may well be sooner than 120 days… since it says they extended the request to vacate to 120 days from date of application.. and they did not display the date of application…… sounds like the pressure will need to be continued…. though the biggest problem we have is that the land is owned by lakeland… and none of us are lakeland residents.. still with media coverage I doubt they want to look as bad as they will if the council votes to give the land to one of its members and his dad…. its hard to look WORSE than that….

    RipnLips1
    Roberts,Wi
    Posts: 121
    February 10, 2003 at 5:52 pm #251985

    I will call down to Smigd’s in Lakeland and let them know whats up.

    CatfishJohn
    Posts: 41
    February 11, 2003 at 2:12 pm #252053

    RiverEyes sez: “problem we have is that the land is owned by lakeland… and none of us are lakeland residents.”

    Wrong. This is in LAKELAND SHORES–different city than Lakeland. Lakeland already has given up its public beach on the St. Croix to the couple living next door, Colin & Cindy Thorpe. Although the Lakeland Beach has been cleaned up, it’s still closed. And YOU, the taxpayers, have footed the $100,000-$200,000 bill for this mess even though the MPCA KNOWS who dumped it there–the Thorpes–but refuses to go after them. So here we’ve lost one public access in Lakeland already and the city of Lakeland Shores proposes to give away another public access to its wealthy citizens the Jarvis’s. It will be a cold day in hell before I ever eat at the Afton House or Catfish Saloon again–about as soon as I buy another pair of Red Wing boots!. How many more public accesses can the Croix afford to lose to rich monkeybutts like the Thorpes and the Jarvis’s??? How many more rich monkeybutts like Red Wing Shoes’ Sleazy Sweasy will try to close off access to the unwashed masses like us? Talk about class warfare, people, this is it–and YOU are on the losing end.

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