As a long-time opponent of the East Monroe rezone, I remain frustrated by the Monroe City Council’s reluctance to put an end to this costly debacle. Unfortunately, for the city residents and taxpayers, the city council has council members Kamp, Davis, Hanford and former council member Goering who have staunchly supported the rezone from Limited Open Space to General Commercial without regard to the financial cost to the city.
I should note that the city council has responsible council members including Cudaback, Scarboro, Rasmussen, and Gamble who have opposed the rezone.
The council members who have supported the rezone must be held accountable for their poor financial stewardship. A key step in holding them accountable begins with a complete financial accounting audit by an independent firm of the direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by the city associated with the East Monroe Rezone.
Additionally, the cities continuing non-compliance with the Growth Management Hearing Boards earlier rulings have resulted in the city being ineligible for certain grants.
The city needs to be entirely transparent in tallying its costs and lost grant opportunities so residents can understand the total financial and other resources the city has devoted to this futile exercise in rezoning a virtually undevelopable parcel in East Monroe.
From the outset of the East Monroe Rezone it is clear that the rezone effort was all about pursuing a narrow, private interest at the expense of the common good. Objective observers of the process have consistently ruled in favor of the opponents of the rezone including two rulings by the Growth Management Hearing Board, which have placed the rezone at death’s door. It is time to inter the corpse.
Lowell Anderson
Monroe
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