As a 30-plus year resident, I have seen a lot of bad ideas come from the city.
Barb Bell's letter (Herald, Mar. 12) is exactly right. The city should never have bought the 9-R Administration Building as it will be a bottomless money pit. The city should sell this and buy the Old Main Post Office, as she suggests.
The plan to buy “automated speed enforcement cameras” should be dropped now. Locals will quickly learn where the permanent cameras are.
When 32nd St. was improved a number of years ago, it was designed for 35 mph but a former city councilor, who has since moved away, convinced the council to drop the speed to 25 mph. There is no problem here.
Animas View Drive is another story. Over the last 20 or so years, all the new homes have paid a street impact fee to the city, so traffic has increased but the city has done nothing to improve the road.
A few years ago, I attended the window dressing public meetings about “traffic calming” on College and 8th Ave. Most of those in attendance were opposed to the plan to reduce the number of lanes. Staff dutifully noted their objections and then dismissed their concerns to their faces.
For many years I had an office in this corridor and know from firsthand experience this was a solution looking for a nonexistent problem.
It's time for fresh leadership on the council.
Len Goebel
Durango
