Vadnais Heights City Council to decide on sports complex

The City of Vadnais Heights should be ashamed of themselves for requesting Recovery Zone Facility Bonds for this project (11/3/09 Council meeting). These bonds were intended for areas of "significant poverty, unemployement, rate of foreclosures, or general distress". The city was ranked 37th best place to live by Money Magazine, and on their own website state they have a strong tax base. Which is it...poverty or prosperous? The very idea of taking money from areas that are in need to help fund a self-indulgent project should leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

Research has shown (& apparently ignored by this Council) that these type of facililites do not turn a profit and actually loose money. It is interesting to note that the city currently rents a building for their public works department on this landowners property. Suspect a great deal of politics involved in this project.

Community Facility Partners? A sports management "group"? A Non-Profit ? Someone better do their homework here. Who and what is this "group" and how is it, or they, connected with the property in question? These are questions that should have been addressed in the article. Another example of selective reporting and fact omission. My guess? Follow the money and the property and business owners.

"At the same time, taxpayers won't pay a cent and the city could even make money out of the deal, Bigelbach said."

Amazing and nice to see the tax payers wont be flipping the bill for this. See ziggy? it can be done. o.o

oyoboy wrote:

"At the same time, taxpayers won't pay a cent and the city could even make money out of the deal, Bigelbach said."
Amazing and nice to see the tax payers wont be flipping the bill for this. See ziggy? it can be done. o.o

Bigelbach is a former council member. Special meetings seem to be held on whatever project he's involved in. If it's such a money maker, why doesn't the "group" pay for it themselves? There's one born every minute.

Lets start with a little math shall we?
Vandais Heights: Population 13,069
Translation...the city is suggesting spending/backing the borrowing of $1,683. per resident.
Isnt it nice when our government is always looking out for our best interests. Two brand new fire stations and you've yet to employ a police officer? The good mayor himself says "I think we owe it to our residents"? Are you kidding me? What you owe them is some fiscal restraint !
The only ones stepping up to use the facility are the hockey and soccer programs of White Bear Lake. Seems like their the smart ones...let Vadnais Heights build it and take all the risks and we'll use it ! Funny how WHite Bear doesnt have any of the big development that Vadnais Heights has but has twice the population, a full police force, and two fire departments.
Granted your not actually putting up the money, but in the event the mortgage is foreclosed on guess what?

This city must be loaded - 22 mil on a sports facility, 11 mil new public works facility in the works, and a fire dept that went from volunteer to a full staff that has living quareters in the fire station. I'm beginning to think I live in New York or L.A. and not a suburb. Maybe they shouldn't raise my taxes if they have so much extra money floating around.

Good question from Mr. Auge. Why did the price tag for this project double? Also, why would this supposed 'non-profit' be involved with this project. As far as I can read they get absolutley nothing out of it in the end. Hmmmmmm? Knowing this particular Bigelbach he doesn't get involved with anything unless he gets something out of it. Good observation by anonymous.....'in the even the mortgage is foreclosed on...'????? Be wary of wolves in sheeps clothing. More intersting observations coming right up...

"While council member Lynn Kapaun also was concerned, he said providing a sports facility was as much a responsibility of local government as maintaining city parks." Curious, is providing a sports facility in a suburb of St. Paul included in our states consitution? I thought the role of government was safety and transportation issues...for the most part. Since when did providing sports facilities become the role of government. It's bad enough that Minnesotans have to pay for the new Twins stadium when a family full of gazillionaires owns the damn team.