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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; RIGHT: auto" class=MsoNormal><FONT style="RIGHT: auto" face=Calibri>The main problem I have with all this - in the past, whenever I or anyone else have made suggestions on town improvements, new projects, etc., the VERY first thing we hear is “we don’t have any money.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And now in these tough economic times when government services at all levels are being either trimmed back or eliminated, it seems we CAN afford to buy a piece of land on the very edge of town, and presumably spend more taxpayer money to turn it into a park?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Too, since the property IS on the edge of town, in an area where the closest town residents live a few blocks down Cleveland Avenue, a park wouldn’t really be “handy” for people to enjoy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Unless we’d count driving by and saying “ooh, look at the park?”
as being able to enjoy it?<SPAN style="RIGHT: auto; mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I still think the money would be better spent on existing properties and projects within the town.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If we do in fact have surplus funds lying around, perhaps I should consider standing at the Town Hall with a cardboard sign saying “Resident of Riverdale Park; please help, any amount appreciated, God bless.”<SPAN style="RIGHT: auto; mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></div>
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<DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px" class=hr contentEditable=false readonly="true"></DIV><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Jonathan W. Ebbeler <jebbeler@efusionconsulting.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Wednesday, September 14, 2011 10:56 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [RP TownTalk] Jey's Auto<BR></FONT><BR>
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<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal>Sue – </div>
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<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal>I would encourage you to stay involved and to make your voice heard. The history of our country shows that a single voice can and will make a difference. Political, business, or socio-economic standing does not influence my choices or how I vote. I try to govern by following the examples my grandfather, Leonard W. McDonald whom founded several of the State of Utah’s Pension Plans and was the Executive Director of the State Retirement System for 25 years. The biggest life lesson he taught me, and one I try to employ every day, is that you treat everyone with the same amount of respect and courtesy regardless of their position in life. Everyone has a lesson to teach you and it is up to you to learn it.</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal> </div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal>I understand your frustrations with the process and hope that will not discourage you in the future. As has been stated, there is not a deal and it is not anticipated that Jey will sell the property; the Town is actively investigating our options to deal with a situation of economic blight. That being said, there are very specific reasons why this path is being investigated at Jey’s vs. other properties.</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoListParagraph><SPAN>1)<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN>This property is a cornerstone of Riverdale Park and what will either encourage or discourage future commercial re-vitalization along Route 1;</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoListParagraph><SPAN>2)<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN>There are Occupancy and Use issues at Jey’s that do not exist with Town Center or other commercial properties. The M-U-TC committee, Town Council, and Mayor have unanimously opposed a gas station at this site which is the only supported use the owner will consider for Jey’s Auto; Douglas Development would support a wide variety of commercial enterprises that the Town would support; the owners of the other buildings already demonstrate that they are willing to lease out spaces to a myriad of commercial interests;</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoListParagraph><SPAN>3)<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN>This is an issue of triage: the more immediate issue as hand is Jey’s; it is out of code, it has been an eyesore for years, and it is unlikely to ever be brought back into code compliance. The Douglas Development buildings in Town Center, while vacant, have a property manager that deals with code compliance issues on a timely basis;</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoListParagraph><SPAN>4)<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN>The Council is pursuing different avenues towards a Town Center revitalization including investigating property tax structures that creates a disincentive to keeping properties vacant. At the last work session I touched briefly on this;</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal> </div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal>This move is part of a new and holistic approach to economic development in our town; this is one piece of a very complicated and complex puzzle and the tools we use to address one situation are not applicable in others. Please keep in mind as well, I brought forward a Resolution at the last Legislative meeting for the town to pursue an Arts and Entertainment District designation.</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal> </div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal>Best,</div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal> </div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal>Jonathan </div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal> </div>
<div class=yiv1233935211MsoNormal> </div></DIV></DIV><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>TownTalk mailing list<BR>To post to the list, send mail to <A href="mailto:TownTalk@riverdale-park.org" ymailto="mailto:TownTalk@riverdale-park.org">TownTalk@riverdale-park.org</A><BR><A href="mailto:TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org" ymailto="mailto:TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org">TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org</A> is for automated subscription processing only<BR><A href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target=_blank>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</A><BR><BR>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit <A href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/" target=_blank>http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info</A><BR><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>