East Side Review News/ Residents,officials divided along Gateway Corridor
Potential property condemnations not highlighted in presentation
"Repke charged that Ramsey County Board commissioner Jim McDonough "hijacked" the open house and used it as a town hall meeting to "tout" his preferred option for the proposed transit corridor. He also accused McDonough of skirting the possible condemnation of substantial amounts of private properties to make way for the construction of the transit line."
"You're lying and it's not fair," Repke told McDonough in a heated exchange after the open house.
LINK TO STORY HERE
Topic requested...
"Repke charged that Ramsey County Board commissioner Jim McDonough "hijacked" the open house and used it as a town hall meeting to "tout" his preferred option for the proposed transit corridor. He also accused McDonough of skirting the possible condemnation of substantial amounts of private properties to make way for the construction of the transit line."
"You're lying and it's not fair," Repke told McDonough in a heated exchange after the open house.
LINK TO STORY HERE
Topic requested...
posted by Bob at Wednesday, April 04, 2012
17 Comments:
Chuck, I applaud your efforts with this issue however, I am confused.
Light rail right down the middle of University Ave. didn't seem to bother you none.
Many business's on University Ave. are suffering or went under due to the light rail project. And it is unlikely many business's will ever return to the University strip.
Capitol City Business Council done a survey and 70% of voters were against the light rail on University and 30% for it.
Talking to people I associate with 90% are against it and 10% for it. Most citizens feel this light rail is being crammed down our throats.
Those of us who oppose light rail lost any say in the matter to special interest groups like unions and city leadership who think they know what is best for it's citizens.
Most these guys working on the light rail are from out of town. How has this served the citizens of Saint Paul? Like I said in the past I will keep tally of the number of folk's killed or maimed by the killer train. I will make a memorial list on the home page.
Damn thing should have been built on pedestals.
We missed a good show! Why didn't you invite us for support Repke?
Hey Chuck is this one of those opinions you are paid for?
Ralph
Bob, you may not get it but at least Ralph does...
I don't work for any group on University Avenue... so I don't have an opinion on the Central Corridor.
My job as the staff person for the District 2 Community Council has as its first priority that I make sure that the Government plays fairly with the residents and businesses in District 2.
I am going to cut and past the letter I sent as the staff from District 2 in my next post here and maybe you'll understand better.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
I was extremely disappointed to see last night Gateway Corridor meeting hijacked by our local County Commissioner. It concerns me because by touting his position on the Regional Rail Authority he projected himself as an expert and by the way the Gateway Corridor staff gave deference to him any citizen in the room would have felt that he spoke for the Gateway Corridor and was the authority on all matters being discussed.
What particularly concerns me was Commissioner McDonough’s contention while discussing options 4 and 6 that by moving stations properties could be saved from being taken and that we are a long way away from the decisions of who would be taken. I attempted to raise the point that Gateway Corridor staff had come out to District 2 and were quite clear that in either 4 or 6 because of the width of the trains/dedicated lanes (not stations) there was no way to avoid taking some properties and particularly the two restaurants on White Bear at Minnehaha. While you stood behind McDonough nodding your head in apparent agreement with my statement, McDonough continued on with his drivel that …”only 5% of the engineer has been completed and nothing has been decided,” “you don’t need to be concerned about takings.”
The point of these meetings is to give honest information to community members and to allow them to give feedback to the Gateway Corridor staff. This is a part of a process that you need to go through to be able to secure Federal dollars for this project. This was not suppose to be Commissioner Jim McDonough’s Town Hall meeting championing his preferred option and attempting to taint any concerns about the project as being anti-East Side.
My board has not yet taken an official position on the Gateway Corridor and could potentially determine that if we could get a commitment from the City or County HRA to acquire lands adjacent to the parcels that you would need to acquire for construction of the line, there might be a tremendous opportunity for redevelopment of White Bear and East Seventh. But, we can’t have that discussion if those who are representing themselves as the Gateway Corridor are pretending that there wouldn’t be takings.
I have been involved in these kinds of transportation discussions for almost forty years. I understand the obligation that you are under to make sure that fair and accurate information is being given out. If I were you after that performance by Commissioner McDonough I would be concerned that a number of citizens have been given false information and believe that now is not the time to express concerns about potential takings and their impact on the neighborhood. For these citizens to be given that impression when we know that ninety parcels being taken in options 4 or 6 is a reasonable point to start our discussion is a travesty.
I offer my assistance to facilitate another meeting in the area if it is decided that McDonough corrupted the process enough that you need to meet with these residents again.
Chuck Repke
District 2 Community Council
So, my point was that the elected official didn't have the right to stand in front of those residents and lie to them when this was supposed to be an informational meeting about the Gateway Corridor.
Now, if he wants to lie to them at a board meeting or in his campaign lit or at his own town hall meeting he can lie all that he wants to, but the Federal regulations on determining routes on these things says that they are supposed to INFORM residents and businesses about the potential routes and get feed back.
He stood there and lied to them and told us we shouldn't be asking about takings yet. The residents and business should determine if that is a good idea or a bad idea and weigh in NOW... not after it is to late to do anything.
I don't have an oppinion on the route until my board tells me what my oppinion is... but they don't mind me calling out liars when they lie to the people in the neighborhood.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Good call Chuck!
Sandy
Chuck aren't you and your wife Gloria Bogen (lawyer) appointed to some Boards.
It appears that Government Internal fighting is the demise of that Government.
Your buddy Bostrom has NO REGARD for Homesteaded Propertys etc.
Affiant Sharon Peterson aka Scarrella Anderson for 30 years has been fighting the Bizzare Taxing Ponzi Schemes.
We the People have had it. The City St.Paul and Ramsey Co must reopen the Corruption of the Lou McKenna ie: former Auditor still alive. CENTRAL CORRIDOR IS THE HIGHWAY TRAIN TO AUSHWITZ+BUCENWALL (SP) Death Panels are the Government Officials, Chuck your a day late and dollar short.
Chuck aren't you and your wife Gloria Bogen (lawyer) appointed to some Boards.
It appears that Government Internal fighting is the demise of that Government.
Your buddy Bostrom has NO REGARD for Homesteaded Propertys etc.
Affiant Sharon Peterson aka Scarrella Anderson for 30 years has been fighting the Bizzare Taxing Ponzi Schemes.
We the People have had it. The City St.Paul and Ramsey Co must reopen the Corruption of the Lou McKenna ie: former Auditor still alive. CENTRAL CORRIDOR IS THE HIGHWAY TRAIN TO AUSHWITZ+BUCENWALL (SP) Death Panels are the Government Officials, Chuck your a day late and dollar short.
Sharron,
Both Gloria and I have been appointed as citizen members to committees and commissions. Gloria serves on the Saint Paul Board of Zoning Appeals (the group that voted for Cupcake) and she also co-chaired the Police Chief selection committee that selected Harrington a few years back. I serve on the Saint Paul Charter Commission (the group that just re-drew the Ward lines after the census).
I am not a part of the government any more or less than you are. I was appointed as a citizen to a commission.
This issue is about an elected official comming to a meeting that is required as a part of the process that the Fed's require when one wants to use their money to build roads and transit lines and taking over the meeting and blocking information from coming to the public.
We as citizens have a right to have the government give us information and to not have that distorted.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Chuck Repke
Both Gloria and I have been appointed as citizen members to committees and commissions.
How much do you and Gloria get paid on this committee
I get paid nothing.. $0 to be on the Saint Paul charter commission and have to pay to park downtown.
Gloria got nothing to co-chair the police selection committee.
She gets $25 a meeting to be on the Board of Zoning Appeals (they meet twice a month). It cost between $10 and $15 to park downtown in a ramp for more than 3 hours and it is assumed that the rest is spent actually driving to the sites and looking at them. If you have ever been at a BZA meeting, you can tell that most of the members have gone out on their own time and looked at the properties in question.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Chuck said;
Gloria serves on the Saint Paul Board of Zoning Appeals (the group that voted for Cupcake)
My response;
Thank you and your group kindly Gloria! Also, it was good to see the mayor use his influence on this issue, thank you Mayor Coleman!
Most of us here know Chuck and Gloria are devout DFLers. Whether you like their political position or not they are examples of how the DFL builds it's bureaucracy.
Conservative have a lot of work to do if we are ever to connect with the hearts and minds of citizens in metro areas.
what does this story have to do with anything? the line runs down the middle of 94
1:42 - there are 3 main different routes in the plan. Middle of 94, Old Hudson road or 94 to White Bear, North on White Bear to East Seventh, West on Seventh to downtown. The commissioner was advocating the White Bear/Seventh route.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Lets put it over by Cherokee Park so it bothers Mayor Chris Coleman neighborhood, put the damn thing in front of his home.
I plan to move back to the west side and I am running for mayor, that gives the people a voice aimed at these two face democrats that allows the building of a Jewish Nursing Home on Polluted land with gas pocket under it.
Next time Mayor Coleman when you send your SWAT Boys to my place it just might be on your block.
I was contacted last week about a deal on a nice three bedroom home by Cherokee Park with a contract for deed that I can afford.
I may Win or I may Lose but I will Draw the line and it will be Mayor Coleman's last time to master his ship after he loses the election.
Chris if you need a job SMEREL'S Law Office can use some office boy for serving papers.
8:45 PM Bill you left out that Coleman is a Catholic and maybe Thune is too, so why care for these people that might have escaped Germany's gassings just to live in that nursing home with a faulty vapor barrier under it.
Chuck said, "she also co-chaired the Police Chief selection committee that selected Harrington a few years back."
Well Harrington was a lot better than Tom Smith. His pals are all pals with Corky Finney
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