HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 01-06 When idealism is pushed aside THE REVIEW When idealism is p ushed aside
In the Nov.18,1975 Review we reported that the Maplewoodia074"
Parks and Recreation Commission had two proposals to consider the
for use of the old Ostergren farm,2005 Edgerton Road. vo
The first proposal was made by Sen. Jerome Hughes, who
represented St.Jerome's Church.The church,he said,would like map 1 ewood
to house a Vietnamese family in the building as a tribute to ,,,
America's Bicentennial year. V. moi■t
"Not only could people visit the home because of its historic
value," Hughes said, "but perhaps they could have interaction ;711k, '• f by Scott Carlson
with the Vietnamese family. It could be a nice history lesson."
The other proposal was offered by Robert and Amy Parker,
soon to be newlyweds.They proposed to get the home in tip-top Mayor Robert Bruton added, "We appreciate your (the
condition for community tours. In essence they would be church's) cause but this is public property to be used for the
caretakers and in the off hours the could conduct their teaching public good."
consultantship in the home, the Parkers said. Wiegert agreed,although noting"we recognize that there was
The commissioners,I believed,were not too thrilled with the a national commitment to these people.But this property was not
prospects of either proposal and that turned out to be the case acquired for that purpose and we might run into some coin-
when they voted unanimously to recommend that the Ostergren plications."
farm be leased out for six months to Gerald Cole and his wife and Councilman Burton Murdock indicated that the legal use of the
Glenn Cook and his wife. property was his main concern more than the money. "I for one
The commissioners' reluctance to accept the Parker wouldn't let that property go for that use even for$500 or$600 a
proposal,as vague as it was,is understandable.The Parkers had month," he said.
some good ideas but nothing too concrete. The council, of course, made it known to the church
But in the case of the St.Jerome's proposal it is unfortunate representatives that if they wanted to consider the position and
that idealism was pushed aside by cold hard cash and some legal perhaps suggest something different that they could.
concerns. But at that moment,anyway,the church people made it clearly
The commissioners, at their Nov. 26 meeting, decided that known that$300 a month in costs was too prohibitive.
the Ostergren property could be leased or rented to the Viet- In my opinion it is unfortunate that practicality has pushed
namese family at $175 per month on a six month basis, the aside idealism.
payment to include electricity, heat, water, sewer, snow and If the city searched hard enough I would sure hope there
garbage removal. would be some way of getting around the legal and tax problems.
Discussion centered around the legal aspects of such an We must remember that the city has purchased the
arrangement, insurability of the premises under this type of Ostergren farm and the old building in the belief that it has some
contract, the tax situation, the fair market value of the house historic value.It seems uncanny that the city should be taxed for
relative to the monthly rate, etc. using its own property.
, The same types of concerns were brought up again when the If there are legal complications with providing the farm to
city council considered the issue at its Dec. 18 meeting but took the Vietnamese family then by the same reasoning these com-
no action. plications must exist with any other party or parties the city
Only this time City Manager Michael Miller reported that would offer to rent the facility to on a six-month basis.
total monthly payments (including$100 plus utilities and taxes) And if this becomes the case one wonders why the city,
could well total about$300. through its elected representatives, can't decide how the
And councilman Donald Wiegert,among others,pointed out, property should be used.
"It (renting or leasing to the Vietnamese) may not be ap- I for one hope that the St.Jerome's proposal is not dead and
propriate anyway." somehow can be worked out.