Planting the seeds of discontent

So I guess it’s not enough that the city is making NO progress on the Schildberg Park development…. Now they’ve actually decided to begin going backward! City officials announced on Wednesday that the city is in the process of renting out just over 20 acres to be farmed in the park. They say the plan is to avoid costs associated with weed control and mowing while making the city around $2,000 a year.

Great.

You know what else makes money… campgrounds filled with campers. And unlike corn and soybeans, campers buy food, gas and other items sold by local merchants.

The fact is the city has shown little real interest in developing that area and this is just another sad episode in that saga.

Plans for the development of the park have been on the books for years, and little has gotten done. So little in fact, that the city was forced to return over half a million dollars to the state’s Vision Iowa fund.

Some dirt work was done, a trail built and a dock donated. Not bad for six or seven or eight years work … It’s hard to remember exactly.

So now the city is returning a part of the land to agriculture. Only for a year they say…. Uh-huh. Sure. I’m sure it’s all part of the master plan!

(Oh and by-the-way I’m not even sure the city is getting such a great deal since according to the ISU Extension Service, cash rent in Cass County is about twice the $100 an acre the city is charging. Did they go out for bids on this? )