Letter to the editor: Miles

Letter to the editor:

My daughter has been involved with JO for the last 4-5 years. She loves the program, and looks forward to it every year. She is always great about practices and tournaments. Unfortunately, last year the big tournament in the Cities (President's Fest), was cut short for us as I received a call on Saturday night that my son was found without a pulse in his vehicle, which we found out upon autopsy was due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. My daughter kept to her JO volleyball practices in just days following his death. She found a lot of support in being around her teammates. The whole JO community was great and supportive. This year my daughter decided she would like to do JO once again, and I had left the decision up to her, knowing the big tournament of the season would also be associated with the loss of her brother. She was unable to try out at designated time, due to a work conflict. Every year there has been a make-up session for the skills assessment, so we enquired as to when that would be, receiving no response. A few days later, we received a phone call stating two girls had been cut from the entire JO teams, my daughter being one of them. They did not need her to try out as they were very familiar with all the girls and what spots they needed filled. I soon sent an email to each KMVB board member asking about their decision and why it was that two girls were cut, with no response. It's been four weeks and I have still not received a response of any kind, even after sending second request for response. I've read all the information on the KMVB.org site, front page/home page stating no girls would be cut. I also read on the site that each team would consist of 8-10 girls. The team my daughter would be on has 11 girls, so why wasn't another girl cut to make it an even 10 as stated? There were other questions I asked to be addressed, obviously receiving no answer to any of them, not even the promised refund for the skills assessment test, as she was never able to participate.

In summary, I'm appalled at the exclusion of two girls from the JO volleyball teams, a decision made by adults. With all that's happened in this small community, more thought should be put into what would benefit ALL of the youth wanting to participate. Bullying has been at the forefront, which often times starts with exclusion. How can we expect our youth to develop a wide circle of friends, without excluding, when they aren't taught this by example? Not to mention, the recreational drugs readily available to our school-age youth, keeping them otherwise occupied in healthy ways is a must. I wish the emphasis would be less on winning and more on all the players required to make a good team.

                     Sincerely,
                    Christel Miles

Letter to the editor: Musolf

Letter to the Editor:

In last week’s paper, Matt Nelson, a former volunteer firefighter and current city council member, had a Letter to the Editor published.

First, thank you Mr. Nelson for explaining the difference between Best Value Bidding and straight bidding.  In the Advertisement for Bids, Kasson Aquatic Center, Multi-Package Bid, etc., printed in the DCI, it states “All bids will be evaluated according to the Owner’s “Best Value Contracting” procedures as detailed in the bidding documents.”   In the Kasson City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of August 22, 2012, Public Forum section, it states that Chuck Coleman asked if Best Value was used on the bridge or the aquatics center.  City Administrator Lenth stated that Best Value was not used on the 16th Street Bridge project because of use of federal funds; but it is being used for portions of the aquatics center, of course the key word being portions.  It’s obvious why citizens might be confused.  This being said, I go back to my original point.  The taxpayers are paying $14,500 more than we should be.  We are not allowed to know why the City paid a settlement instead of going to court.  I understand this is normal procedure in many settlements, but the fact remains that we do not know.   

Second, if Mr. Nelson read my letter he would know that I NEVER questioned the NEED for a new ladder truck.  In fact, I stated that my husband, a former Kasson Fire Chief, assured me that the department DOES need a new ladder truck.  I may have had issues with the way some things were done in the past concerning the fire department, but obviously I, like all citizens, place the importance of our own safety and the safety of our firefighters above the importance of saving money.  I simply questioned the need for a truck with a ladder longer than any truck the Rochester Fire Department has.   

Of course we need to be thinking about where Kasson will be in the future, but I think it’s safe to say we will never be a “Rochester”.

Third, thank you for correcting me on the number of employees retiring.  Out of respect for my friends in the Public Works Department, I have no further comment on that issue.

Yes, Mr. Nelson, it has been about a year since I’ve attended a council meeting, and quite honestly I’m not sure what it would take to get me back to one.  I don’t feel it would be in my best interest to talk about my perception of the meetings I did attend.

I do not intend to involve myself in a back and forth war of words in the form of Letters to the Editor.  However, I felt a need to address this inaccuracy.

Georgiann Musolf