Letter- County Board Supervisor: Residents Need to Speak Up
The Community Development Authority of Stevens Point has decided in its infinite wisdom to sell Edgewater Manor. I am afraid that while waiting for bids on the property the decision on who to sell it to and for what price has already been made.
It seems that the Mayor wants to have high priced condos on the riverfront instead of the senior subsidized housing that has been there and is very much needed according to the cities own Housing Study and Needs Analysis. A study that the city commissioned to do and now has decided to ignore. Tell me
Mr. Mayor, will it be a good selling point for these high priced condos to have a group of homeless seniors sitting on the curb in front of them?
The line is that no one will be forced out of their apartments. They will just have to pay market rates. That will make for a hard decision for the people that are on fixed income. Do we pay rent and utilities this month or do we buy food and medications that we need?
The inability of the public to speak at the Community Development Authority meetings unless the Mayor allows them to speak is also very disturbing. It is a known fact that almost 90% of work is done at the committee level, and public comment should be encouraged.
We have someone that would like to purchase the building, remodel it and continue to offer that much needed senior housing. The only problem is that is not what the Mayor sees for Stevens Point.
It is time for the citizens of Stevens Point to stand up and be heard. We need to tell the Mayor to do what he campaigned on and disband the Community Development Authority, and leave the future development of Stevens Point in the hands of our elected officials, the city council. It is the duty of all citizens to have their voice heard in matters that will affect their lives, and the duty of our Mayor and City Council to listen.
Make yourself heard write letters call your Alderperson, and attend meetings and make yourself heard. This is your right, when we truly have a government that represents the people that elected it.
Samuel Levin
Portage County Supervisor
District 17