October 29, 2008 - Wednesday

Todays Gazette is being brought to you courtesy of PUCKETT'S White Spot
Dairy.
Grafton ND. ----------- Phone 80
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The current temperature is 30 degrees.
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 38/22
Normal H/L temp for this date is 47/27
It was 77 degrees on this date in 1950
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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Every once in awhile, for what almost seems forever, I mention the
former Walsh County Bank Building and it's repugnant position on
Grafton's main street business district. For more years now than I have
patience, the former WCB building has been used for nothing more than
storing sailboat fuel.
Deteriorating plywood covers the mainstreet lower level windows, the
second floor windows have remained open for years and several windows in
the rear of the building have been broken out.
It has been several years already since someone that was connected with
city government, covered the mainstreet windows because of the
horrendous stench spewing from it's midst.
I received the following note from Grafton Mayor Todd Burianek that
gives "some" inkling that someone someday may start procedures to deal
with the issue.
Todd wrote: >>>> Hi Gary-
I believe it was Twain who said "Rumors of my death have been greatly
exaggerated."
In that same vein, rumors of the City's ownership of the WCB building
have likewise been greatly exaggerated. The City MAY become the owner of
said building, but under current law, the owner has NOT become
delinquent with his property tax payments and still enjoys full legal
possession of such building.
Thus we have no greater authority to tear it down than we would any
other building in town. In the event we do become owners of it, a full
inspection will take place and a cost/benefit analysis will be conducted
to determine the best use for the building or as you have suggested, the
best NON-use of it.
I remind everyone that not long ago, two buildings on the DC campus were
deemed inadequate and faced certain demolition when an entity came into
town to make beautiful apartments out of them. I'm not saying I know of
a good use for WCB or if one even exists; I am saying I want to keep an
open mind about that.
Thank you for your kind attention to this and all City matters.
TB <<< Thanks a million for sharing your thoughts Todd. For some reason
I find it extremely hard to believe that "we", the citizens of Grafton,
have allowed that facility to exist in it's present state for SO MANY
years without doing something about it. And, as far as the buildings on
the grounds of the Developmental Center are concerned. It is true, they
were deemed "inadequate". However they remained state buildings, on
state grounds, and they were maintained, all-be-it minimally, until
converted to a new more useful life.
It is extremely difficult for me to believe that the governing body of
the city of Grafton, in conjunction with the membership of the Grafton
Chamber of Commerce can't resolve the repulsive obstruction to what
otherwise would be a very congenial downtown business district. Or so it
seems to me.
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Speaking of ways to welcome folks to town, or give them reason to
leave. The former WCB building isn't the only conundrum in town.
Charging someone the cost of 31 gallons of gas to spend the night at a
motel is another one.
Sharon sent the following response to that issue. She wrote: >>> Hello
Gary
I am commenting on the Local Motel story:
I've been in the Hotel/Restaurant business for well over 20 years
and I will have to say...shame on the Management/Staff at this
particular "local" motel...if they had rooms to rent, and it was late at
night, the Manager and/or staff on duty should have
GRACIOUSLY accommodated this couple with a motel
discount...unbelievable that they turned away "business" just because
they were greedy enough to expect $109 per room.
I work at one of the finest Hotels in Bismarck (Radisson) and
there is absolutely no way we would have turned anyone away having only
a dozen cars in our parking ramp. In fact, not only would this couple
have gotten a discount for their room, they would also have gotten the
red carpet treatment to make sure their stay with us would be 100% at
its best.
Word of mouth is the best advertisement for any business and we
would want this couple to not only return to our Hotel, but to also let
their family/friends know what a wonderful stay they had at our
hotel!
My complaint on many businesses all over our state/country
is Customer Service is slacking and no one seems to care to go above
and beyond at their workplace anymore...it is absolutely frustrating to
the patron(s) and a total embarrassment to the Management/Staff at these
businesses. Sadly, without proper training of Management/Employees,
we will expect this in the future from many different businesses.
Hopefully this local Motel (very obvious which facility this
is) will have read your article regarding this young couples denial of
a motel discount in the Gazette, and realize they have made a HUGE
mistake and take care of this problem of incompetence and neglect in the
future.
Just a concerned Gazette Reader :-)
Sharon LaMont <<<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Sharon. I
hope our entire business community gets a chance to read your message.
++++++++
The following note speaks to the same subject, although it comes with a
little different spin. Rick wrote: >>>
Gary,
I do not know if the pipeline people are still in town or not, but
if they are, that is most likely the reason for the high motel
prices. We experienced the same scenario in Dickinson on a recent
pheasant hunting trip. The same motel we stayed at 2 years ago was
only $69 per night with no extra charge for dogs. This year, after
the oil boom is going strong, the room was $105 plus $10 per dog per
night for a total of $135 per night. It is merely a matter of supply
and demand that allows them to increase their prices.
Also, glad to hear all went well with your eye surgery.
Have a great day,
Rick Odegard, DVM
Kindness Animal Hospital
4400 32nd Avenue
Grand Forks, ND. <<<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Rick. I
could buy the "supply and demand thing", IF that were the case.
Unfortunately, many if not most of our pipeline workers have already
moved on. (remember only a few cars in the lot) I might also add that
the young couple actually ended up running across the street to
"another" motel for substantially less money.
Besides, this isn't just a summer of 2008 problem, our Ohio Fox Hunter
friends can attest to that. It really isn't a true problem of supply and
demand either, as Marjie found out when she tried to visit our community
a couple years ago.
However, with a little luck, a bit more tenacity and a whole lot of
community encouragement. This too may be resolved to a positive end. Or
so it seems to me.
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Rumor has it that here is still a perfectly good set of ("slightly
bent") beet topping knives buried in the ground somewhere around Warsaw.
{:-)>
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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"The world doesn't simply change on it's own. Some thing or some one
must make it happen." Or so it seems to me.


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late.