(SCOTT L. EHRISMAN (C) 12/16/2025)
You need to watch the informational meeting today where they talk about transforming Falls Park into an entertainment complex. The council pushed back pretty hard. Merkouris expressed he would like to see more of a natural park. I agree, they are cheaper, a lot cheaper, and they pretty much maintain themselves if you plant the right native species. They also look much more beautiful then layers of concrete like we currently have on the greenway (I think it is so funny we call concrete a GREENWAY). And as a visitor staying in a hotel downtown would you much rather take a stroll thru butterflies and flowers instead of a massive concrete path? We could turn Falls Park into a nature gem. Hopefully the next council takes this proposed plan and burns it, oh, and ask for our money back.
Why don’t we learn something from our immense failure of Jacobsen Plaza? What is the most popular part of the Plaza? FREE SH!T!!!! DUH!!!!! Make more natural trails at Falls Park and turn it into a nature wonderland instead of a mini-donut crap hole.
DATA CENTER MOVING FORWARD
The city council approved the 1st reading of zoning for the proposed data center and the conditions. Once again the council has FAILED to ask about the increasing energy costs. Not only is our council voting against our interests this will hurt us financially. Demand will drive up costs. I think if they plan to self-contain the center in 5 years, I would support it. But sucking water and power from us won’t help our rates. I beg the council to do their research. I see a national story EVERY DAY about the increased costs of Data Centers if their water and power is not self contained.
SHAWN ‘FIREBALL’ PRITCHETT HAD A CHANGE OF HEART.
It’s rare, but I gotta give Curtis the Blurtist credit on this one. When the finance director, Pritchett, came to the council tonight to fund motor graders he did his homework and put out an RFP (did his job for once). I believe this is because Curt put a boot up his ass about this and he was NOT going to buy motor graders without having an RFP. Funny how things work out better when you follow rules.
VERNON DID WHAT HE WAS HIRED TO DO
Everyone knows that the city council just wanted a shadow councilor over the next 6 months who won’t ask questions and ink up the rubber stamp. Vernon did not disappoint tonight. Besides his swearing in the only word coming out of Vernon’s mouth tonight was ‘YES’. Good Boy! I hope they gave you a treat.
“Say, maybe they should build a dance hall near the Falls so as when people get drunk, and dance too much, they can just barf into the Sioux” ….. 🙂 ……..
“AND, you know, I always enjoy a president with rhythm, how about you?” ……:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zph7YXfjMhg
“Or, what how about this?” …..:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lnTkkrVE1w
“But, then again, there’s this” …..:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bsG4OcoeS8
I love the Jacobson Plaza area and hope to be able to take the family to the skate ribbon soon. The food at The Lodge is amazing and it is wonderful to see so many people enjoying these new amenities. Congratulations to those with vision, creativity and an understanding that it is OK to have nice things. BTW, my tax dollars helped pay for this and I am happy to contribute to quality of life initiatives which can benefit ALL citizens and visitors.
Yeah, I will admit, I’m surprised the ice doesn’t melt when I walk by the rink from my pure exuberance of a rich guy’s tax writeoff strapping us with $10 million in debt and an over $1 Million in operating costs every year for the life of the park. Might as well just throw the money in a burn barrel. It was so nice of you to help out a rich dude with his tax affairs. This project should have been ran by the citizens with polling and demo studies to see if people would actually use it. Instead a rich dude who needed a tax writeoff bought the mayor lunch at Minerva’s and the next thing you know we are $10 million in debt. Horrible way to run our parks system. HORRIBLE!
Think Big is right. The Jacobson Plaza has its place in this town, but not next to the Falls. It’s very tacky.
( and Woodstock adds: “Say, just how long before it’s known as the Donald J. Trump and Jacobson Plaza, huh?” …..)