Letter to the editor: Relay for Life

Letter to the editor :

The purpose of this letter is to address statements made in the article dated July 7th titled "Mantorville City Council Agenda Varied."
First the comments made by Council woman Schmidt; in general the statements would appear to be somewhat exaggerated or assumptive. To quote "There was trash and puking on peoples lawns. There was a trailer on the Relay lot and I guess they stayed and left their bikes over night You guess? As a City Council Member wouldn't it seem the best approach is not to     but to seek answers? Here are some answers:
1) Regarding trash - the clean-up committee spent at least 2 hours cleaning up after the event. There would have been very minimal amounts of trash that did not get picked up.
2) The trailer was provided for two out-of-state couples to stay the night.
In addition it was stated, "At 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning, the riders started up their motorcycles, revved the engines and left town. How many citizens here own motorcycles? The rumble of a motorcycle can be heard any day of the week. Can two bikes leaving town at 7:30 a.m. be that unusual?
The Relay Lot is a common place for many of the activities that occur in Mantorville. Maybe a gentle reminder that the use of the Relay Lot has been provided for other community activities free of charge. A single camper parked on that lot is much less intrusive than many of the other activities that occur there. That lot is our "gathering place".
The questions about what time to end an event and what type of music/lyrics should be played is a difficult topic to address. It would seem appropriate that the lyrics be PG in nature, however that does not mean all citizens will agree to the type of music being played. Variety is the spice of life. There are several outdoor events that occur in Mantorville to name a few; Beetles Bash, Marigold Days, Old Tyme Days, and the Rendezvous. Do all citizens enjoy the sound of cannons being blasted at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning? No, however, as a community people here should take pride in the variety of activities that occur and be supportive of all events even if they are not their "cup of tea". Some activities will begin earlier in the day than some may prefer and some may end later in the day than what others will prefer. Just think about the number of people that are drawn into this town because of the activities that occur here. This fund-raiser brought in many out-of-town people that spent money in Mantorville, not just at the Saloon. This is good for business and in turn is good for the community.
The sheriffs department was present during most of the evening. Had there been a need for crowd control law enforcement was there to handle it. There was also a designated driver for anyone who should not have driven home that night. Much organization was put into this event in order to make it fun and safe for everyone.
To address the comments made by Mayor Nash... "The city needs to meet with the fund raiser and someone from the (Mantorville) Saloon. They have a whole year to modify their plan and eliminate some of the problems. The complaints are valid and preventable." This event took place June 19th and to date no attempts have been made to speak with the coordinator or the Saloon. Wouldn't it seem reasonable for that conversation to take place prior to making those statements? How about addressing the issues and stating the resolution versus making statements without talking to the individuals? Had someone taken the time to talk with the Saloon or the coordinator it would have been known that the stage had been set-up inside the saloon, but the band set-up outside and insisted on playing there. The issues could have been resolved by now. The statements in this article should not have been made without speaking to the coordinator and the Saloon.
The following statement is one that truly is out of line. "They need to make a living too but not at the inconvenience of most citizens." This event is not about "making a living". It is a fundraiser in honor of a life long resident ofMantorville who lost her battle to pancreatic cancer. Last year about $2200.00 was raised for the American Cancer Society and $1340 to purchase a swing set. A little boy in Kasson has been enjoying having that swing set for the past year. This year about $ 2500.00 was raised for the American Cancer Society. Granted it may appear the Saloon had opportunity for financial gain from this event, it did however put money into supporting it.
Finally the statement... "inconvenience of most citizens" Many citizens were there having a good time. "Most citizens" seems a bit exaggerated. The "inconvenience" is much like how other citizens feel when activities go on that do not appeal to them. We have a block or two closed down for some events, to me that is an inconvenience. But, it is for a community activity, so I say, "It is all good". Lets be out there interacting with each other and having fun! We can set some parameters on the time when events should start and end. The bands that perform can also be told to use appropriate language. Shouldn't these two items be the real issues here?
Just remember, business can give back to the community when the business has the income to do so. Drawing additional people to town does benefit the community.
Mantorville is one of the most active little communities in this state. It is amazing the diversity of activities in which one can participate. A lot is to be said for a community that rallies together for a good cause. I hope you all can keep that frame of thought in mind when making decisions regarding future events in this fine town.

Sherry Thoren