Not a Pleasant Position to Be In

Daneen and I purchased and moved into our current residence in June 2006. We chose our house based on various factors -- among them appearance, affordability, and location -- that are common to many first-time homeowners. Although the house was relatively old (having been constructed in 1942), it had been well kept by previous owners and was both roomy enough and cozy enough for our family of six. The price of the house was within our means financially. Daneen's mother and a brother resided (and continue to reside) nearby, and the commute to my work was manageable.

It did not take long for us as a family to settle into the neighborhood and "send out roots." We've been here now for almost six years.

We are part of a church congregation and the children are thriving in the local public schools. Within or near our city we shop at stores, we play at parks, and we eat at restaurants.


A line item within both of the options for a new downtown civic center that the city has presented to its residents for their consideration is this: "Buy and remove several older homes."


That simple bit of text encapsulates a truly unpleasant situation that Daneen and I (and our children) and many neighbors now face. We as a family are in a potentially ruinous domestic and economic position that we resent and that we feel is unfair. And this is a position that we hope will change for the better if enough of the residents of our city share the same feeling and give voice to it for city government to hear.

Unfortunately, the deadline that the city has set for accepting and including public opinion in the current decision-making stage is May 18. Time constraints and other considerations have delayed the creation of this blog with our request for action until now, so the window of opportunity is extremely limited.


If you are of an empathetic mindset, please go to the city's website (to the center of the main page) and follow the links and instructions for downloading the comment card (in PDF format), filling it out, and sending it in. We wholeheartedly thank you.