SavetheKirkbrideBuildinginFergusFalls,Minnesota

Howyoucanhelp

Fortalkingpointsforallitemsbelow,pleaserefertoourpetitionandthe2ndpageofthisdocument.

Everyone:ü Followthenewofficial“FriendsoftheKirkbride”Facebookpageforuptodateinfo,action

announcements,andmore.Sharethesepostswidelyandoften,andinviteyourfriendstofollowthepage.Youcanalsojointhe“FriendsoftheKirkbrideCommunity”grouponFacebooktoconversemoreinformallywithothersupporters.

ü Signandshareourchange.orgpetitiontoMNLegislators.Leavecommentsandmentionwhereyoulivesothattheycangetasenseofthescaleofinterestinpreservingthebuilding:https://www.change.org/p/mn-legislators-say-no-to-funding-demo-of-fergus-falls-kirkbride

ü WriteletterstotheeditoroftheFergusFallsDailyJournalandtheStarTribuneexpressingyouropinion:http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/services/letters-to-editor/http://www.startribune.com/submit-a-letter-or-commentary/115289839/

ü Spreadthewordthatdeveloperswithviablefundingandbusinessplansareneededtopreservethisuniquenationaltreasure.Thisistheonlythingthatwilltrulysavethebuildinginthelongrun.

Minnesotaresidents:Alloftheabove,plus…ü WritetoStateLegislatorsandGovernorDaytontoaskthemtodenytheCity’s$8.9millionbondingbill

requestfordemolition.Wewillupdatethissectionwhenwehavethebillnumbers,committeemembernamesandmoreinformation,butitdoesn’thurttoletthemknowhowyoufeelnow.

Findyourrepresentativeshere:https://www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts/GovernorDaytoncontactform:https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/form/

FergusFallsresidents:Alloftheabove,plus…ü CalloremailyourWardrepresentative:

Findyourwardrepresentative:http://www.ci.fergus-falls.mn.us/mayor_council

ü Emailyourstaterepresentatives:RepresentativeNornes:rep.bud.nornes@house.mnSenatorIngebrigtsen:sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn

ü Signuptospeakduringtheopenforumatanyfuturecitycouncilmeetings.MeetingsareeveryotherMondayat5:30pm(checktheCitywebsitefordates).Youmustsignupforopenforum24hoursinadvanceofmeetings,whichmeansthedeadlinetosignupwillusuallybeaFridayat5:30pm.Ifyouwanttohavepictures,documentsorotherinformationincludedinthe“packet”thatthecouncilreceivesbeforeeverymeeting,thedeadlinetogetitinisThursdayatnoon.

Openforumsignupform:http://www.ci.fergus-falls.mn.us/vertical/sites/%7BC83A9759-035D-4EAB-A39F-EA24B2F5336D%7D/uploads/Open_Forum_Registration_Form_and_Policy-_Rev_2013_-_FillIn(2).pdf

IdeasforTalkingPoints

Ourmainpointsarelistedinourpetition,buthereareafewmore.Decidewhatresonateswithyouandwhatyoufeelcomfortablespeakingabout-don’tfeellikeyouhavetocovereverytopic–clear,conciseandrespectfulcommunicationiskey.

• ThecitycouncilisdrivenbythefearthatsomehowthecostofmaintainingordevelopingtheKirkbridewillfallontheresidentsofFergusFalls.Thisisanegativemotivation.

• TheFriendsoftheKirkbridearedrivenbyhopethatarenovatedsitewillrespectthehistoryoftheRTCandwillbringjobsandeconomicgrowth.Thisisapositivemotivation.Focusonthepositive.

• Thecitycouncildoesnothaveaplanforthesiteoncethedemolitioniscomplete.• Stantecwashiredtopreparetheestimatesforthephaseddemolition.Accordingto

theestimatesprovidedbyStantec,thecosttodemolishallbutthecentraltowerbuilding(Building1)is$8.9million,andthatiswhatthecityisaskingthestatetoprovide.StantecalsoestimatedthatthecosttodemolishallbutBuilding1,plusthecosttofullyrestoreBuilding1wouldbe$27.2million.So,bytheirownestimates,thecosttorestoreBuilding1is$18.3million.Whereisthecitygoingtogetthismoney?

• Ifthecitytrulywantstosavethecentraltower,whynotdothatfirst?Makethisthefirstpriority.Workwithadeveloperonalimitedproject,ratherthantryingtoforceadevelopertotakeontheentirecomplex.

• Thecitycouncilclaimsthat“theyhavedonealltheycan”.Howdotheyknowthis?Howisitpossibletoknowthis?Anydeadlinesarearbitraryandself-imposed.

• Thecitycouncilbelievestheriverisanassetofthecity,andthecouncilisaggressivelyfocusedonmaintaininganddevelopingthisasset.Whilemanycitieshaverivers,fewhavehistoricallandmarkscomparabletotheRTC.ThecityneedstorecognizethehighvalueoftheRTCandtreatitastheassetthatitis.

• Inseekingfundingfordemolition,thecityisdemonstratingthattheyhavenovisionforthefutureoftheKirkbride.Iftheywantedtocapitalizeonthepresenceofthislandmarkinthecity,theywouldbeseekingfundingforrenovationandrestoration.

• The$1.9MillionoftaxdollarsbeingspentonPhase1demolitioncouldhavebeenbetterspentonmothballing,humiditycontrol,andmoldremediation.

• ThefactthatthecitydoesnotvaluetheRTCasanassetisdemonstratedbytheirunwillingnesstosaveevensomesmallthings.Thegazebosposenothreat,yetwillbedestroyedwithoutanyefforttosellthemormovethem.SpringboardfortheArtsandtheOtterTailCountyHistoricalSocietyrequestedthatthecityallowsomematerialsandartifactstobesalvagedforusebyartists,andthecouncilvotedno.

• ThedemolitionoftheKirkbridewoulddemonstratepoorstewardshipoftaxdollars.Hundredsofthousandsoftaxdollarshavebeeninvestedinthesitejustwithinthelasttwoyearstoupgradethewaterandsewer,repairroofsandmaintainthegrounds.Thistaxmoneywillhavebeenwasted.

• Throughtheuseoftheterm“deconstruction”,thecitydemonstratestheirwillingnesstobedeceptiveregardingtheirintentions.Theirgoalisdemolition.Deconstructionimpliesthatthematerialsaregoingtobereusedinsomeway.Thematerialsfromthisplanneddeconstructionaregoingtothelandfill.

createdon2/8/18