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County should not contribute to Marinette center

EDITOR:

Where does financial accountability differ between the county and the city-township government?

This is an important question in light of the City of Marinette’s request for $1.5 million to build a recreation-convention complex. The city had budgeted $12 million for the project. However, they have fallen short by $1.5 million. They now are asking Marinette County to shore up that difference.

The argument the city makes is it will increase financial activity in the area. They have not presented any evidence of this to the county board, nor have they illustrated to what extent the benefit would reach outside the Marinette-Peshtigo area. This also ignores the very significant financial demands that the county budget faces in road repair, personnel costs, building maintenance costs and possible high financial costs that cannot be predicted. Marinette County has been underfunded by the state for several years, resulting in no extra funds.

The county does have an obligation to provide seniors and others “as good a quality of life as possible.” Thus the reason the repair of the River City Pool in Marinette was approved by the Board of Supervisors. The same reasoning was used for the Niagara Senior Center with regard to the maintenance of county buildings. With both these issues, no other options were available to help keep seniors out of nursing homes.

This project, at least with respect to the scope of the project, does not involve critical health-related services or county property.

The city needs to revise the project or the funding strategy.

Alfred J. Sauld

Niagara, Wis.

District 2 supervisor

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