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| Post Number: 191
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Liberal 
Group: Moderator
Posts: 11451
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 11 2004,8:25 pm |
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We are a home rule charter city so we can circulate a petition at any time. But, before the ordinance is repealled you would certainly want a new city manager in the city manager position otherwise Sparks would be right back where he started.
Read the Tribune article today not one town has anything like this crazy idea of sharing a public and private board, ask yourselves why that is. Do you think Paul Sparks is on the cutting edge with this idea or do you think other city councils are smart enough to realize it isn't legal?
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The people are masters of both Congress and courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it!
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| Post Number: 192
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Guest
Unregistered
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,11:34 am |
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From the Greater Jobs website here are their accomplishments for 2003-2004
20% of the companies surveyed expanded their facility in the past year. (what's this have to do with Greater Jobs?)
28% expanded their workforce (what's this have to do with Greater Jobs?)
57% have made capital improvements (what's this have to do with Greater Jobs?)
40% experienced increased sales (what's this have to do with Greater Jobs?)
Albert Lea Business Development Center (ALBDC) welcomed two new companies; Inglow Company and Crescent Electric, bringing total occupancy to 90%. (Anyone can fill a Business DEVELOPMENT center with an established business like Crescent Electric. Good use of a business incubator Pam)
ALBDC helped to create 25 new jobs in its first year. (wow! a whole 25 jobs! Why does that number seem familiar?)
A new Business Plan Competition has been organized and will launch in the fall of 2003. (Plan's are important)
Visitors to the ALBDC included Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senator Norm Coleman, and former DTED Commissioner, Rebecca Yannish. (Boy, that's quite the who's who of Minnesota, what does that have to do with anything?)
New companies recruited to the area:
Specialty Products & Technology, a processor of sweetened
base food ingredients (Northaire Industrial Park)
Superior Corrugated Box Company, a manufacturer of corrugated boxes(Jobs Industrial Park)
(I'd like a little proof that Greater Jobs recruited these companies to the area)
Greater Jobs, Inc. has connected with 25 companies over the last year in the service, technology and food arena. (Connected with? What the hell does "connected with" even mean?)
Over 25 local companies received a personal visit by staff to understand current and future needs of existing industry. (visited 25 whole businesses in a year, you better pace yourself at that rate you'll hit every buisiness in the town in about 20 years)
Two community forums were held to provide information on two companies: Ford Motor Company and Premium Pork. (both of which moved elsewhere, Way to go Pam!)
Greater Jobs, Inc. testified before the House Tax Committee encouraging support of the JOBZ Opportunity Zones. (right, you testified about how tough it is to keep business from moving to Iowa even though her own husband moved his business to Iowa)
Launched our new Workforce Recruitment Initiative: www.albertleaworks.org (How long before Pam loses that domain name?)
Two new “Welcome” Signs were constructed through the efforts of Greater Jobs, Inc. (Wow, our name in print... Things are going to start happening now.)
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| Post Number: 193
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jimhanson
Group: Moderator
Posts: 8491
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,12:13 pm |
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| Quote | | (Wow, our name in print... Things are going to start happening now.) |
| Quote | | "The new phone books are out, the new phone books are out--my name in print!" |
--Steve Martin as Navin in the movie "The Jerk" 
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"If you want to anger a Conservative, tell him a lie. If you want to anger a LIBERAL, tell him the TRUTH!"
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| Post Number: 194
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Madd Max
Group: Members
Posts: 1345
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,1:28 pm |
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Paul Overgaard was in the Albert Lea Paper yesterday (Sunday) stating that he would like to see a Convention Center and a Water park on and around the old Farmland site. I would like to add that we also need GOOD paying jobs to come to Albert Lea. As you read through out this forum the business people are having a tuff time making it here. Maybe if their were factories paying a livable wage here and hiring people instead of laying people off, thing would be better. Here is a Question I would like people in this area to answer. Do we want to become like Wall Drug a tourist trap or do we want tourism and Good Paying jobs? Do we want Albert Lea to take that next step in Growth? I agree with Mr. Overgaard that the decisions we make in the next couple of years will affect our children’s and grandchildren’s lives. A Convention Center and Water park will only bring in low paying jobs. We will also need good paying Factory jobs to come to town so we can so we keep our young people in Albert Lea instead of exporting them. We have a wonderful college here in Riverland to educate people to be high skilled employees. There are also many graduates out in the community. We have skilled people here. With the Right people in power to make these decisions, I believe we can have both. 
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Heck, if crazy were a pre-existing condition, the GOP wouldn't be able to get insurance. James Carville
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| Post Number: 195
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Montyman
Group: Members
Posts: 421
Joined: Dec. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,2:12 pm |
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hoosier said: "Why is it that other towns and counties seem to have their best and brightest in public office, while Albert Lea and Freeborn County seem to have made it a habbit to elect the dumbest and the most morally corrupt?"
I wouldn't go so far as to say that the best and brightest are in public office everywhere else.
There's lots of questionable poli's at all levels.
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Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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| Post Number: 196
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metro-guest
Unregistered
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,3:08 pm |
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Is this the same Overgaard that was Durenberger's campaign manager?
Durenberger, 59, was denounced by the Senate in 1990 for ethical misconduct in connection with a book promotion deal and reimbursements he took from the Senate for staying in a Minneapolis condominium that he owned. He was indicted early this year on fraud charges stemming from the condo deal and faces trial in January.
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| Post Number: 197
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Montyman
Group: Members
Posts: 421
Joined: Dec. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,4:05 pm |
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What about Gil?
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Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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| Post Number: 198
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metro-guest
Unregistered
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,4:25 pm |
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Durenberger I believe is one of only nine senators thoughout this nations history(at the time of the scandal) to be denounced by the Senate.
Haven't heard about Gil turning in false reimbursments. Enlighten us.
My question was is that the same Overgaard who worked for him?
It was quite the story in the St.Paul press.
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| Post Number: 199
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ironmaiden
Unregistered
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,4:32 pm |
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Have met Overgaard, was rather impressed with him. I look at it this way, both he and Bob Haukoos attend many if not all the local mtgs. Some may think of them as dinosaurs. I think that a good share of their ideas and wxperience are a boon to the growth of the community when not stifled by Sparks... they are looking for leaders to take the reign.
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| Post Number: 200
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Lil Pimp
Group: Members
Posts: 62
Joined: Oct. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2004,4:51 pm |
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Good points and questions MM
I think you really need to go after both (tourist $ & REAL jobs). In reality, everything is inter related.
To attract employers you need a good work force, to attract a good work force you need a livable city, to have a livable city you need to have some entertainment & recreational opportunities.
Yes, I agree, a waterpark/convention center will only bring low paying jobs but low paying jobs are better then no jobs. Plus, by having something like this you are drawing in dollars from outside the community that currently are going elsewhere. If Albert Lea is truly going to try & get high paying factory jobs I think they are going down the wrong path, this is not 1974, this is 2004. Those jobs are not only in tremendous demand (Look at the fight between cities to get the Ford plant) but they are moving over seas, fast. Albert Lea needs to go after industries like biotechnology, software development, medical, financial, advertising/marketing etc. It won't be easy, of course these industries are in demand as well. Another thing Albert Lea needs to do is get rid of Paul Sparks, I won't even get into that, I think many other threads have already covered that one. I get the feeling that Albert Lea is a hard place to do business in, this is not the perspective you want potential employers to have of your community.
If I remember correctly, I believe the Fairmont newspaper had a story a few weeks ago about the city trying to bring a post secondary school to the city. Any chance Albert Lea (maybe along with the state?) could try & partner with Riverland and try to expand the AL campus both in size & class offering? Rochester got a branch U of M campus established a few years ago. This would help to keep more young people in Albert Lea & also give employers a more educated workforce. I have never, nor do I know anyone who has, attended Riverland but I wonder how well Riverland does to market Albert Lea to it's students. Are they offering jobs that are in demand in the community or are they educating the youth so they can move away to find a job in their field? In this competitive new world, partnership between post secondary institutions and the communities they reside in is more important then ever.
Any recent Riverland students care to comment?
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