The idea of adorning the now dirt employee parking lot east of Dairy Queen with sculptures and benches for patrons to enjoy is definitely a move in the right direction for the owner of both the dirt lot and Dairy Queen, Craig Lindberg. see story
Whether it was a that familiar (I got your back) wink from Loveland City Manager Don Williams, the fact it was on the consent agenda already or any other reason, Lindberg’s failure to appear before council when requesting the city vacate a right-of-way last week was probably not advisable. The council went ahead and passed the request on first reading (it requires two readings before council and majority votes before it can pass) anyway. The council agreed to coordinate the next reading for a time convenient for the applicant to come and present and answer any questions. Many of the question centered on the drive through and traffic flow which staff admitted was confusing and difficult to explain.
Councilman Daryle Klassen, however, appeared especially angry about questions regarding the drive-through, traffic study and proposed traffic flows between Eisenhower and Jefferson. He launched into a lecture announcing Linberg’s plan but perhaps not in the tone or setting the owner of Dairy Queen or the artist Mark Lundeen would have preferred.
When the Mayor told Councilman Klassen the council was not “hindering” the project — Klassen interrupted in an angry tone, “I think you are.” Klassen’s cantankerous comments were quick to condemn any colleague who dared asked traffic questions as anti-business.
Finally, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Heckel explained to Klassen that he wouldn’t have supported the motion if he thought anyone was trying to hinder or delay the project.
Later in the same meeting Klassen apologized to his colleagues and staff for his previous outbursts in the meeting though it wasn’t clear he was referring to that specific incident.
We agree with Klassen’s enthusiasm for the plan but disagree with his red-bating approach of implying any questions at all constitute an attempt to hinder the project. It is this kind of intellectually empty political demagogue that contributes nothing of substance to the conversation and only adds to petty squabbles by public officials.
Any thoughts?
The current Loveland City Council is no different than the previous Loveland City Council – they are all spoiled brats, prima donnas, egotistics, undeniable narcassists, who are immature and unprofessional, and are unfit to be in the positions they are in because they have willfully failed to uphold the duties they were elected to.
Let the recalls begin.
Do you live in Loveland?
I walk my dog to Dairy Queen at least 3 times a week. Many people I meet there are stopping through on their way to Estes Park. They could bring many people to downtown loveland with the idea of improving the dirt lot alone. If I was a famous artist I don’t know if I would want my work there. I can’t see the Lundeen family saying we have one sculpture in the U.S. Capital building in Washington, D.C. and another in that dirt lot next to Dairy Queen in loveland. If he wants to attract people he needs to do some real nice work and not the minimal stuff now around Dairy Queen where the drive through seconds as an obstacle course to test cars with poor visibility. As far as the council goes they are right to ask questions but should make Dairy Queen improve the landscaping better if they want to take away the alley I and many others use as a short cut to the 34.
I think the questions by the city council were very appropriate. Klassen’s chicken little squealing is not appropriate among serious people who are responsible for the city’s welfare.
The council’s goals of promoting business while also regulating traffic safety are sometimes incompatible. Traffic safety, however, is somewhat tied to business development in that poorly designed intersections and traffic flows discourage shopper and outside visitors.
Klassen needs to get a grip on reality. Dairy Queen hires minimum wage part-time high school students and most of them only in the summer. Does he really believe minimum wage service jobs are what people are talking about when they say we need more primary jobs in Loveland?
Mayor Gutierrez and the council (including Heckel) were reasonable, accommodating to the absent business owner while not being irresponsible.
Chicken little needs to pay a little closer attention to the meeting before sounding off again in an attempt to politicize routine council deliberations.
Carmen
I’d hate to think it was true, but Klassen seemed almost irrational. If Council had failed to ask about traffic impact, I’d be pretty angry. So his fellow Council members, while sounding very accommodating to the DQ business, were doing their jobs.
Speaking of which, I’d guess that Disgusted doesn’t know what the hay he/she is talking about. Such sweeping generalizations about Council show complete ignorance…the old “Throw the bums out….and let’s get some new bums in there” kind of nonsense.” Next time I suggest Disgusted do a little research, figure out what’s going on and who’s doing what, before writing.