Richland-Wilkin Joint Powers Authority
Original Publication Date:
December 19th, 2013
Wahpeton Daily News
Republished with permission from:
Lynn Larsen and Richard ‘RED’ Geurts, Christine, N.D.
We will get back to you. When you don’t have the answer off the top of your head or when you have to check with someone else it is a normal part of conversation. However, when the engineering companies that are working with the Fargo Diversion plan use that phrase, it is like waiting for a cold day in Hades.
On May 8, at one of a series of meetings held by supporters of the diversion and those who are gainfully employed by the diversion to ask for questions and input, we asked several questions about how the newly-changed plan would affect our home near Christine, N.D. We were told to give them our contact information and they would get back to us. Initially they did, in order to schedule a meeting. On June 5 we went to a meeting at the AE2S offices. The rules of the meeting were plainly spelled out. We were not to debate the diversion, just seek out information. We had a polite conversation that surfaced issues of concern to us. We had several questions for the engineers and they told us they would get back to us.
We received an email on June 25 saying they had not forgotten us – they would get back to us on our questions. We have yet to hear a word.
We aren’t saying they don’t want to give us information that may be embarrassing for them. We aren’t saying they are keeping a head count of how many meetings they hold so they can provide evidence of a “community outreach and input.” We aren’t saying they acted in bad faith. We don’t know what to say since they haven’t yet gotten back to us on an issue that concerns the largest investment we have ever made … our home.
So, we will have to get back to you once we hear from them – if ever. We just want to make sure the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cass County Commissioners and Fargo City Council know our silence is not agreement with your plan. We have met many residents who were given the same promise of “We will get back to you.” None of us have heard a word.
We should have heard from you by now if you were acting in good faith. If you think this is unfair, write us, call us, or email us – and we will get back to you.
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