Posted by justthinkin (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks Steve - I agree - whole heartedly, and I can only hope that - for once - the Commission will try to listen to their constituents.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree......any money at present could be put to better use than this.

Posted by inaweoftheblindness (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank-you Steve. I absolutely agree with you on this. I do hope they reconsider and put this on the back shelf until things change. I don't think a visitors center is an important priority right now.

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There is one person who is chairman of the RDA who also a serves on the City Commission and one person who is vice chairman of the RDA who has ties to the CAE by way of a close relative and is influencial with the City Commission. Also a recently hired, prominent city official also is treasurer of the RDA.
And knowing the influence the powers that be in Emporia can be and are on the City Commission. Of whom some or most own the property that the proposed visitors center is to be built on or own property near the area of the proposed visitors center. I can imagine from whom and why the push for a visitors center has come about and I kind of think that Emporia will have a visitors center, whether it benefits Emporia and all its citizens or not !
All of Emporia or its citizens matter not. Only certain areas and certain citizens of Emporia matter and the sad thing is this is the way it has been for decades !

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Also some of Emporias citizens are so enamored with the larger citys in Kansas etc., that they want Emporia to instantly become a large thriving metropolis, they seem to forget that there has to be a good and fairly large job base to grow a large City from. Emporia just does not have a large job base and a dozen visitors centers will not create a large job base.
There needs to be more effort to aggressivly attract companies and industries to Emporia and as Emporia and its economy grows with a substantial jobs base, then a visitors center may be warrented and more retail businesses will follow the jobs base. As Steve has said, and rightly so, the economy will not support the construction of a visitors center and higher taxes will only further erode the economy and consumer base of Emporia .

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As I said earlier methusla.....

Euphoria government

........by the few
.........for the few
........and they screw
........the rest of you!

Posted by justthinkin (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Methusla - On this matter, for one, I feel you are a very wise person, as well as an obviously fine carpenter because you sure hit the nail on the head! The powers will most likely approve the center - contrary to popular opinion - because one or more of them have agendas more important that serving the people that pay them.

Posted by hickory (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, I think that a visitors center and the monuments out by the turnpike is a heck of alot better idea than the stupid clock tower, (that you can't tell what time it is) that the last commission came up with.

Posted by hottopics (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well Steve, I have yet to see much common sense when it comes to Emporia's decision makers. But we can all hope it arrives sometime soon.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 4, 2009 at 5 a.m. (Suggest removal)

observation.....

Very funny guy....lol

But the truth applies nonetheless.....whereever it fits.

Posted by create (anonymous) on July 4, 2009 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Good comment, Steve, you make much good sense. But I'm afraid methusla is right about Emporia's politics as usual and land ownership in that area which is exactly what will promote this visitor's center idea every step of the way. I say use any money they may have found to paying off the city's debt.

I like Observation's idea about the bleachers, except the viewing area should be fashioned like a front porch, a great big one since that's out motto. Emporia, front porch to the Flint Hills.

Posted by seriouslyfolks (anonymous) on July 4, 2009 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Unfortunately paying off debt isn't on the radar of any government in this country, whether it be city,state, or federal. Spend baby, spend! Welcome to 2009.

Posted by jcook66801 (anonymous) on July 4, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's hard to see the value of a visitor's center with what little information has been presented. I'd like to see more details, including how this center will boost visitors, increase spending in Emporia and (hopefully) pay for itself.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 4, 2009 at 1:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just got back home a little while ago from attending the 4th of July parade downtown. It was modest in size from being done on short notice....but it had a nice hometown feel to it.

A great big thanks to all who gave up part of their holiday to come out and make it possible. Good work everbody!!!

And Steve....now you know the real biscuitboy.....the dog that is.

Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on July 5, 2009 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The parade did have a good hometown feel to it.
And it was done with volunteer work with no tax dollars.
And before some kiljoy mentions the law enforcement costs of the parade , consider this; police patrol during a parade is a better use of funds than chasing down 500 fireworks calls.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 5, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Isn't that the truth.....last night, as with all 4th of July's nowadays, I'm sure the police were run ragged chasing down such calls. Many of the complaints...and most of the big stuff....comes from commando raids where people drive around in cars setting off random charges then leave the area.....making them very hard to catch. I witnessed a couple of such raids myself last night.

It all cost a lot of money to enforce an ordinance of dubious value.....passed for questionable reasons.

Posted by paulkersey (anonymous) on July 5, 2009 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

To all the people pushing to get this built with our tax dollars, I say this:

WHAT PART OF FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

Posted by pizza (anonymous) on July 6, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought it was interesting that the fair board gave their ok easily to move the "rocks" from the fairgrounds. I would have too. Those things are not attractive nor are they art. They just get a lot of laughs. Would make little sense to spend any more money on those ugly rocks. I'm with you Steve.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 6, 2009 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I still contend the real reason they want to move those rocks from where they are is the real impetus behind this "visitors center".
I agree with pizza...it can't be because they are such a beautiful work of art....Somebody is scheming on that corner and those rocks are in the way......hence......let's build a visitors center and move the rocks to it.

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 6, 2009 at 8:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

When I first saw the fair grounds stonehenge all I could do was laugh at the futility of it ! Now I cry at the futility of it !
We had all just better hope that a slick " BROOKLYN BRIDGE " salesman isn't a visitor to Emporia !

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 6, 2009 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I did the same thing at the first sight and location of our fabulous clock tower, at first laugh and then cry at the futile wast of $ 100, 000 and I still get depressed when I pass by both the rocks and the clock .

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 6, 2009 at 8:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry, forgot the " e " in waste.

Posted by methusla (anonymous) on July 7, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

crackinsack
Darn, I was going to say something, but replying to your posts is like trying to carry on an intelligent and common sense conversation with a moss covered rock.

Posted by biscuitboy (anonymous) on July 7, 2009 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Of course old crackey has never exagerated anything while making a post.....we must all always remember we are in the presence of perfection here.

Posted by driveonby (anonymous) on July 9, 2009 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Silly Cracky, don't come to Hutch. We can legally shoot off fireworks for a whole week. And it is FUN. Yep, one roof caught on fire. But thousands of people had a good time and MANY charities benefitted from the sales of fireworks. Several dogs had to be repatriated due to nervous fits, and some people broke the rules and went over the 11pm limit. SOMEHOW we all survived without a couple of nervous health freaks ruining life for everyone else! BOY was it smokey though!

Posted by solong (anonymous) on July 9, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This visitor center thing is about as absurd as the other two jokes in Emporia, the court house and clock tower. I would suggest that if Longbine thinks this is a good idea he serve the coffee for the dozen or less people that might take advantage of it each day and finance it himself, free coffee is the only way anyone will stop in. Perhaps he could locate it on the Americus Road in the midst of the thriving business boom he predicted out there.

Posted by solong (anonymous) on July 9, 2009 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh yes, Mr. Longbine should also wear a shop Emporia first T-shirt and hat while he is tending the coffee and promoting Emporia at the Visitor's Center, yes, the hat would be a must.

Posted by giggles (anonymous) on July 9, 2009 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Crack, accidents happen. You yourself said you can't sit in your house in fear of the world. You also can't ban everything and think that will solve the worlds problems.
I for one don't want to stop doing everything fun and exciting because it is possibly dangerous.
BTW, there was not enough info as to whose roof it was that caught fire. Perhaps the home's own tenants caused the fire. I for one don't have many people coming by and throwing fireworks onto my roof, that would bring a whole different set of charges. MOST people do not resort to that, there are a few bad apples, but there will always be a few, and those who are don't care about the rules anyway.
We cannot celebrate and have fun, because someone somewhere might get hurt.

Life happens but we must prevent life as much as possible due to the increased risk of harm.