4. Citizen LetterRECEIVED
Dear City Council of Scandia:
I am among the residents in Scandia who knows what it WAS like to NOT have local pol
CITY OF SCANDIA
representation. I live in a semi -isolated area of Scandia... Our farm and home abuts Wind in the Pines
Park, and the St Croix River Easement. My opinions about whether Scandia should retain its sheriff have
as much to do with where we live, as my personal values.
Before Scandia retained its local sheriff, we relied on one police officer who's beat included parts of
May, Hugo, and Forest Lake. If we had an issue that required law enforcement (our proximity to the
parks, as well as the location of our farm has called on the sheriff several times) we needed to wait,
unless that officer happened to be in the vicinity. Our confidence in the safety of Scandia has truly
increased thanks to the presence of both Officer Majewski, and now Bendon Yetter.
My personal values: I value responsible, and intelligent representation, a City Council who values me
and all residents of the City of Scandia. And, I value any City employee who exemplifies decency, and
reserve... The article in the Country Messenger (August 26, 2015: Weaver p 7) conveyed that without
our City Administrator, members of the council rely on their "impressions" of what residents of Scandia
believe —impressions leaning towards that councilperson's personal opinions. My opinion: I would not
trade our Sheriff for a 1/4 mile of road improvement. Road improvements are short term capital
expenses, not long-term quality of life expenditures. The discussion needs to be brought to a higher
plain.
I invite the City Council to present a budget review and report —without initially making a specific
recommendation to cut a budget line —first to the public, inviting our opinions before summarizing
them (hear -say and innuendo). Ms. Handt's comments are well taken ... The discussion about the overall
budget should begin with an overview of the entire budget —projections and previous years savings —
before devolving to specific budget line cuts and Council opinions. I would value knowing the depth of
each Councilman's understanding of the budget, as well as the history of budget short falls or balances,
as the cases may be. Then, I would value hearing each Councilman's opinions on the subject of budget,
opinions that consider several options founded on fact. It seems clear that Jim Schneider values 1/4 mile
of road improvement. Does he also value the "feeling" of safety that each of us feels whenever we see
Sheriff Yetter?
Sheriffs Majewski, and Yetter have always presented themselves to me as bias -free, truly reliable and
honorable agents of law, as well as decent human beings. They seem to "know" residents in Scandia,
and they both live here. As a sheriff should, they provide both a feeling of safety, as well as veritable
safety. For my $28, that's a deal.
Thank you,
Pamela Arnold
pam@salt-n-pepper-farm.com
612 202-2847 c.
Pamela Arnold
pam@salt-n-pepper-farm.com
612 202-2847 c.