Are Big Donors getting Tax Write-offs for developing Citizen owned Land?
Are Orono Parks FOR SALE to big donors?
After the City of Orono held a public meeting without recording it nor broadcasting it, now we look at the agenda packet for the next City Council meeting and what do we see? Entire projects getting shoved through without public hearings including a large open air Pickleball complex in the Long Lake Holbrook neighborhood.
Nine Pickleball courts are simply drawn over an aerial shot of the land behind the Long Lake Willow Fire Station. This drawing was done with just a sharpie pen?
What kind of plans are these for a group seeking $900,000 in donations?
What studies or research has been done for this very noisy and high traffic niche activity that will be busy all summer with people from all over the west metro?
Why has there not been a thorough discussion of what is the best use for those 3 acres of city land?
Have the neighbors been surveyed?
And an even bigger question, who is behind the "Orono Parks Legacy Fund”, the unknown 501c3 that wants to take in donations and then tie up Orono park land for its special interest projects? Who is on the board of this non-profit and why can’t we find out anything about this fund?
It is apparent the city council does not want to hear from the citizens, rather, keeping them in the dark and appealing to donors (many of whom may not live in Orono). Will Mayor Walsh and these donors decide what goes in Orono Parks as well as let them get a tax deduction for their pet projects?
This is not how Orono should be governed and not how our council should behave. Please tell our city council that Orono Parks are NOT FOR SALE to donors. Tell Mayor Walsh to stop privatizing Public Land owned by Orono Citizens.
