But that won’t stop the NIMBYs from rallying around… their property values. Nope; this middle-class town can’t see past its own yard to fund a new station, with City Council chambers, for a growing city. They’re not even hiding it:

Robert Daniel, who lives within a block of the proposed location.

He admitted opposition started because he and other neighbors didn’t want a police station “in their back yard.”

You even used the words? Come on.

Nevermind that the City has been trying to get this station built since 1993. 17 years. And where would this site be? 305 S Main St. On the busiest street in town, at the current site of the City offices. You know, the street that is backed up from 3:30 to 6 pm every weekday. The street that every emergency vehicle going to or from Chelsea Hospital or I-94 uses every single day. But the opposition group cites “traffic concerns”.

As a voting citizen, I resent having City services hampered by a group who has a conflict of interest in the construction of a new station, who then cloaks that interest in the guise of fiscal responsibility. Their opposition is only adding expense as, now, the City has been tossed into yet another legal battle with its own citizens.

I urge City Council to ignore the planning commission’s vote and issue the $2.5 million in bonds needed to move the project forward. And if this issue does go to a vote, you can be sure I’ll be whipping up support in favor of it.

Citizen opposition may stall plan to build new Chelsea police station

Also, nice redo on the website, Chelsea Fair. From The Chelsea Blog:

Schedule Highlights

The fair takes place from 10am until 10pm Tuesday 8/19 through Saturday 8/23. See the ChelseaFair.org website for full schedule.

* Rides open Tuesday at 5pm

* Children’s Parade and Tricycle Pull – Tuesday 5:30pm

* Animal exhibits – every day

* Nature’s Creation of Life tent – every day

* Demolition Derby – Tuesday and Wednesday night

* Figure 8 Derby – Thursday night

* Chainsaw Carving – several shows daily

* Horse Shows – various times each day

* Colors the Clown – Tues 5-8pm, Wed through Sat 3-7pm

* Ladies Day – begins Friday at 8am

* Tractor Pull – Saturday night

* Chelsea Fair Parade – Saturday 1pm

$7 daily or $25 for the week.

via The Chelsea Blog: Chelsea Community Officially Fair Starts Today!.

For the fourth time in a little more than three years, the Chelsea District Library is looking for a new director.

That’s the lead line to this story in the Ann Arbor News. For a small-town library, that’s an extraordinary track record of failure in the retention department, especially one with such incredible programs and facilities. Certainly it can’t be the pay (although I’m trying to dig up some salary info). And being in Chelsea, while not terribly big,  must have some prestige; CDL was named Best Small Library in the country last year.

So, what’s story at McKune? Or, more likely, what’s the store at the board meetings? Are the rumors true? How does one go about effecting change on a Library Board?

The first stage of the project will take place over the next year and a half at Chelsea with the construction of a 264ft tall test tower. … This project will look at the viability of wind power at higher altitudes. If the data proves favorable, Chrysler will consider construction of wind turbines on the property while the county will look at adding more capacity in the surrounding area.

Sounds like a cool idea.

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