Klick..Klick.klickklicklick..KLICK..WOW when the City Lites have been off so long it is hard to get them to Lite again.
So, hello. I’ve been gone for nearly three years, not really gone but retired from the city. That doesn’t mean I am not paying attention to the happenings it just means I have been fishing, watching tv, taking an afternoon nap and stuff like that.
BUT, recently I have been energized to pay attention to what is attempting to become a trend in Pratt. NEGATIVE thinking in the town.
OK, so why am I Liting up now? Well the general public (voters) and I (or me) whatever the proper English, are being led into a thought of wrongdoing. Isn’t it amazing how hate can disrupt a community.
Let me first say how great the downtown looks. All the decorations and stuff. All the traffic, lack of parking spaces at times. How great it is, we are fortunate. I’m worried about the needed Main Street improvements, but I have a belief in the city management and merchants planning that it will work. It will work because we are Pratt. You can hurt us but you can’t kill us.
Enough about that and back to the other stuff.
Maple Street extension. WOW! This is a new thought? Not really. It actually began in 1968 was approved in the 1970 city plan., again in the 1980 plan and then again in the 2001 city plan. Now I only went back to the 1980 plan to verify this for myself but that is 29 years ago and yep, it is there.
Some people apparently get up each morning, drop a hammer on their toe and spread the hurt to all those they know; that seems to be what is happening now. Allegedly the Maple Street project is a plot. Someone is trying to get rich. The sky is falling henny penny. Get real, the negatives are looking for their minutes of fame.
Oh yeah, nearly forgot. I saw the plans for the new motel that’s going to be built soon. It looks like I might have to book a room just to say I’ve visited; it’s going to be another great addition to Pratt. In fact if I don’t stay out of my wife’s way of house cleaning I might be a regular guest at the new motel.
Oops, sorry. As you get older you kind of (that phrase should turn the English teacher’s head) wander off the subject. Maple Street. This has been in the thoughts of city planners for nearly 40 years, 29 of which can be proven with a visit to City Hall.
Don’t believe me, go check for yourself. It is all public record. I won’t lie to you, but 20 years ago seems like yesterday sometimes and yesterday seems like I wasn’t there sometimes too. Just because you are told something doesn’t mean you can’t check it out for yourself.
Oh by the way, in my investigating about Maple Street I discovered the City has cut property taxes every year since I retired. Now let me admit I really didn’t notice on the tax form but there are school taxes, college taxes, library taxes, airport taxes and county taxes, but the city of Pratt has lowered our taxes for the last four years. I think it is about 7 mills that the city lowered taxes. Heck, I don’t even know how much that is, but if you have a Commission and management team that works to lower taxes, GREAT.
I think our city taxes are about 43 mills plus, not plus much but plus some. If I am right, the total tax for the county is about 200 or 206 mills (which is the total in the city also) but that includes a new school a college that pumps millions of dollars into the local economy, and a bunch of other stuff. Do I like that? NO! But give the City Commission and management some credit for doing their part to crank that mill levy lower.
Gosh after you have been out of the loop for nearly three years you don’t know what’s important. But, I had a cup of coffee when I was at City Hall and discovered the city no longer has a coffee provider. By that I mean when I was working there a company came in, provided coffee, the employees in each department just brewed it, drank it and were happy. That benefit has been removed by management, it apparently has something to do with the economy around the country and a tax savings. As an employee I wouldn’t be totally happy but as a retired taxpayer I think that is management concern that is looking out for us.
Well, it’s time to turn the Lite off. My spell checker has gone to voice mode and is saying “what the heck are you trying to spell.” I guess I’ll leave you with this ... don’t let hate guide your decision. Check it out for yourself. It is public record and open to all.
Yea, the Lite will probably be back on from time to time. I’m so proud of this city I just can’t keep it in the dark.
Klick, the light is off..
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Klick..Klick.klickklicklick..KLICK..WOW when the City Lites have been off so long it is hard to get them to Lite again.
So, hello. I’ve been gone for nearly three years, not really gone but retired from the city. That doesn’t mean I am not paying attention to the happenings it just means I have been fishing, watching tv, taking an afternoon nap and stuff like that.
BUT, recently I have been energized to pay attention to what is attempting to become a trend in Pratt. NEGATIVE thinking in the town.
OK, so why am I Liting up now? Well the general public (voters) and I (or me) whatever the proper English, are being led into a thought of wrongdoing. Isn’t it amazing how hate can disrupt a community.
Let me first say how great the downtown looks. All the decorations and stuff. All the traffic, lack of parking spaces at times. How great it is, we are fortunate. I’m worried about the needed Main Street improvements, but I have a belief in the city management and merchants planning that it will work. It will work because we are Pratt. You can hurt us but you can’t kill us.
Enough about that and back to the other stuff.
Maple Street extension. WOW! This is a new thought? Not really. It actually began in 1968 was approved in the 1970 city plan., again in the 1980 plan and then again in the 2001 city plan. Now I only went back to the 1980 plan to verify this for myself but that is 29 years ago and yep, it is there.
Some people apparently get up each morning, drop a hammer on their toe and spread the hurt to all those they know; that seems to be what is happening now. Allegedly the Maple Street project is a plot. Someone is trying to get rich. The sky is falling henny penny. Get real, the negatives are looking for their minutes of fame.
Oh yeah, nearly forgot. I saw the plans for the new motel that’s going to be built soon. It looks like I might have to book a room just to say I’ve visited; it’s going to be another great addition to Pratt. In fact if I don’t stay out of my wife’s way of house cleaning I might be a regular guest at the new motel.
Oops, sorry. As you get older you kind of (that phrase should turn the English teacher’s head) wander off the subject. Maple Street. This has been in the thoughts of city planners for nearly 40 years, 29 of which can be proven with a visit to City Hall.
Don’t believe me, go check for yourself. It is all public record. I won’t lie to you, but 20 years ago seems like yesterday sometimes and yesterday seems like I wasn’t there sometimes too. Just because you are told something doesn’t mean you can’t check it out for yourself.
Oh by the way, in my investigating about Maple Street I discovered the City has cut property taxes every year since I retired. Now let me admit I really didn’t notice on the tax form but there are school taxes, college taxes, library taxes, airport taxes and county taxes, but the city of Pratt has lowered our taxes for the last four years. I think it is about 7 mills that the city lowered taxes. Heck, I don’t even know how much that is, but if you have a Commission and management team that works to lower taxes, GREAT.
I think our city taxes are about 43 mills plus, not plus much but plus some. If I am right, the total tax for the county is about 200 or 206 mills (which is the total in the city also) but that includes a new school a college that pumps millions of dollars into the local economy, and a bunch of other stuff. Do I like that? NO! But give the City Commission and management some credit for doing their part to crank that mill levy lower.
Gosh after you have been out of the loop for nearly three years you don’t know what’s important. But, I had a cup of coffee when I was at City Hall and discovered the city no longer has a coffee provider. By that I mean when I was working there a company came in, provided coffee, the employees in each department just brewed it, drank it and were happy. That benefit has been removed by management, it apparently has something to do with the economy around the country and a tax savings. As an employee I wouldn’t be totally happy but as a retired taxpayer I think that is management concern that is looking out for us.
Well, it’s time to turn the Lite off. My spell checker has gone to voice mode and is saying “what the heck are you trying to spell.” I guess I’ll leave you with this ... don’t let hate guide your decision. Check it out for yourself. It is public record and open to all.
Yea, the Lite will probably be back on from time to time. I’m so proud of this city I just can’t keep it in the dark.
Klick, the light is off..
