Forum: Current Events
Topic: New Fire Dept is gonna Displace the po' Folk?
started by: Liberal

Posted by Liberal on Jun. 26 2017,9:30 pm
Normally I agree with the Marins but I dont see a connection between poverty, Morin park, and a new fire station. Especially when you consider that end of Morin park is usually too wet to use.


< https://t.co/8OXjamYzJQ >

Posted by Expatriate on Jun. 27 2017,7:09 am
The reasoning behind building a new fire station is the new ladder truck the city plans to purchase is too large to be accommodated in the existing building. The city could purchase a custom built ladder truck that would fit. costly, but cheaper than a new station.

Another option, we could build a 15' to 20' extension on the doors at the existing fire station to accommodate the new ladder truck.  

Either of these options would be far more cost effective..

Rumor has it, the fire department thinks they need a gymnasium in their new fire-station to stay in shape.
Well, staying in shape should be part of the job, a stationary bike, a tread mill, free weights, a bench and squat rack, a hammer sled can be kept in small workout area in the existing building.  

Might I suggest our fireman start participating in the blue zones initiative and start bicycling to work..  

lets get real, Mayo is going to cripple our city, our medical professionals will move to Austin, those that Austin can't pick up will be unemployed and looking elsewhere, the tax base is shrinking and you keep spending on grandiose schemes. If you want your retirees to abandon the city too, just keep on with your harebrained tax raising schemes.

Posted by Self-Banished on Jun. 27 2017,10:29 am

(Expatriate @ Jun. 27 2017,7:09 am)
QUOTE
just keep on with your harebrained tax raising schemes.

Starting to see the world thru my eyes??
Posted by Botto 82 on Jun. 27 2017,10:36 am
Fire stations are socialism. Privatize the whole mess, and bill people for the service. Like Gold Cross Ambulance.

No, I'm not being sarcastic. I'm being prescient.

Posted by Liberal on Jun. 28 2017,12:39 am
You're entirely too short sighted. Imagine how much that gymnasium will save us in YMCA memberships.
Posted by Glad I Left on Jun. 28 2017,9:25 am
As a guy who travels the country to many fire stations I can tell you that AL is not different than most towns of its size across the country.
In my experience I can tell you that the current FD location is slightly outdated but not overly bad.  New fire apparatus is always the difficulty with older buildings.  I don't know the cost of renovating the current FD to fit a ladder truck vs building new/new location.  My feelings would be to renovate the current one.  If the population of AL was growing I could see building new to give room for expansion when needed, since that option is currently not available in its current location.
Regarding the gym,  most small town offer free/highly discounted memberships to local clubs to FD personnel.  Much more cost effective to the city.

Posted by Expatriate on Jun. 29 2017,7:01 am
OMG, the opioid epidemic has hit City Hall, these guys are right back on the corner looking for another hit!

Our city officials are requesting 20 million in bonding from the state for the relocation of Front Street, part of phase one and phase two development of the Blazing Star Landing.

< http://www.albertleatribune.com/2017...r-funds >

Cease and diciest the madness boys...

For Sale: Three Bedroom rambler, recently updated, nice lot mature shade trees norhtside location..also two cemetery plots (Graceland Cemetery)
motivated seller, reasonable offers considered, my loss your gain!

Posted by Glad I Left on Jun. 29 2017,7:48 am
I honestly feel badly for those stuck in that town with no means to leave.  It's a dying town run by a bunch of idiots and has been for years.
Posted by hymiebravo on Jun. 29 2017,8:27 am
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Posted by Botto 82 on Jun. 29 2017,8:33 am

(Glad I Left @ Jun. 29 2017,7:48 am)
QUOTE
It's a dying town run by a bunch of idiots and has been for years.

Truer words have never been spoken.

All that shimmering crap in Paul Sparks' obituary, and not one mention of how he nearly single-handedly reduced the town to the dung heap it has become. I imagine the same high-gloss turd polish will be applied to the reputation of Jeff "Flip-Flop" Fjelstad when he passes.

And now, the sound of a cow pie hitting pavement: Kehr-Plop!

Posted by Glad I Left on Jun. 29 2017,9:42 am
I knew in high school the town was doomed.  My mom worked in the court house when I was about 17 and I heard Marv Wangen tell someone in my mom's office that if they wanted 20 dollar and hour jobs they should get two $10/hr jobs.  There won't be no big companies coming here while I'm mayor. (paraphrased)
Posted by Botto 82 on Jun. 29 2017,11:06 am
Meh. That's almost as bad as Paul Sparks turning away tech firms because, to paraphrase, no-one in Albert Lea was smart enough to work high-tech jobs. Extend foot, shoot.
Posted by Botto 82 on Jun. 29 2017,11:25 am

(Glad I Left @ Jun. 29 2017,9:42 am)
QUOTE
I knew in high school the town was doomed.

I thought the future looked bright for the area when I was in high school. Of course, that was when the Reagan Presidency was in its first year or so, before the systematic destruction of the middle class had really begun.
Posted by was1 on Jun. 29 2017,12:08 pm
There has been talk for 20+ years of the "need" for a new fire hall.  For the longest time the desire was to have 2 fire halls, as there was a "need" to have one on the south side of the tracks.  At least that has some legit reasons to it.  Now, we want/need a larger truck that wont fit so we should just build a new fire hall, is not good justification.  

Some questions on that:
- what is the real need/reason for the larger truck
- what other truck options are there
- what is cost of new vs. retro of existing site
- if they build new, what will happen with the existing space?
- should they have looked at this when they dreamed up the new city garage complex and added it there

The concern back 20 years ago with the tech firms was more along the line of not having the skill set available in the community.  There was lots of people talking after Farmland burned down that what we needed was a tech firm to come in and hire all the former Farmland workers.  Really? Because those are the same skill set.  

Many things looked at A.L. 10 to 20 years ago.  Sparks met with and tried on a number.  Most times I believe we were only used as leverage for them to get a better deal where they really wanted to go.  

In my opinion, one of the largest problems with A.L. is the mentality of most of the residents.  "We should get this, we should get that.  We have two interstates", etc.  However, they are also the biggest NIMBYs I have ever seen.  If something really was interests in coming, the talk from many would become "we don't need that", "we don't want that to go in that location", etc.  Shoot, there were people that would complain when their street would get fixed because "why don't you go fix street X, it is worse than our street".  

I would say 75% of the residents need to look in the mirror and get real with themselves.  And 100% of the elected "leaders" and all city management needs to do the same.

Posted by Glad I Left on Jun. 29 2017,12:25 pm
Sad truth is the town is getting to a point where any manufacturer has to seriously consider the workforce.  The youth are leaving, and there's not a huge need for retirees to work in manufacturing plant.  The city really needs reinvent itself, sadly I'm not sure what the vision could/should be.  Being a place to send your folks to a retirement home isn't a great calling card.
Posted by Self-Banished on Jun. 29 2017,12:55 pm
Perhaps a healthy dose of Somali immigrants might help. It's done wonders for NE Mpls. :thumbsup:
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 29 2017,1:54 pm
Do we need a bigger ladder truck because of all the tall buildings we recently built?

Who would retire in a town with no hospital?

Posted by Glad I Left on Jun. 30 2017,7:12 am

(Liberal @ Jun. 29 2017,1:54 pm)
QUOTE
Who would retire in a town with no hospital?

Well... There's that...
:D

Posted by Expatriate on Jul. 11 2017,7:45 am
Morin Park is no longer being considered, but the Morons are still on a spending spree, with the exception of Rich Murray who said: councilors needed to think about funding concerns in lieu of recent hospital developments.

“The hospital’s gotta be job one,”

Posted by Glad I Left on Jul. 13 2017,8:50 am
Build it and they will come V4.0
Posted by hymiebravo on Jul. 20 2017,7:03 pm
......
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