Empty Promises from the Diversion Authority

The late Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker stated poignantly

“For every promise, there is price to pay.”

How devastatingly true.

Promises are so easily made, especially when there is no intention of keeping those promises.

The recent property tax issue with the Kindred School District is a prime example of how the Diversion Authority, Cass County and Fargo will break promises, whether express or implied.

Without question, the proposed project has cast a financial blight upon the property owners in the proposed project area. The loss of equity turned once valuable sought after semi-suburban-rural homes into hands-off property, nearly overnight. When appraisal values fell, the city of Oxbow brought their concerns to Cass County who shrugged their shoulder and said it’s not their problem. That loss of value is now shouldered by the remaining property owners in the Kindred School district. So the promises made so easily of  “making people whole” was just as easily broken – when no real intention of keeping that promise existed, on the part of the Diversion Authority, Cass County or the city of Fargo.

The city of Fargo being the worst of the culprits, because they are at the center of the issue, the one’s pulling the strings and ensuring that decision making entities are stacked in their favor.

Which brings us to the latest promises, some expressed, some implied.

The promise of Walaker’s “Grand Solution”. The ring dike to nowhere, the refugees, where all the living souls in Bakke, Hickson and Oxbow will frolic merrily within the protective berms towering 8-9 feet higher than the surface of Cass Highway 81 at a paltry $50-$100 million price tag.

During the January 8th golf course infomercial at Bennett Elementary, several statements were made, however, they did not always coincide with the slide in the presentation.

The general message was that the Diversion Authority would:

• assume responsibility for Operations and Maintenance
• follow Federal acquisition process
• fund the levee construction as early as 2014
• fund mitigation measures early to provide early protection and
  reduce uncertainty to the communities

Sounds nice and neat, huh? What a caring political move to extend a gracious hand to ease the pain that is being caused by the other.

It is, as if, people have just given up on all the history lessons…paid for in blood, so many years ago.

Nearly 2,500 years ago, there was a Greek playwright and poet name Aeschylus (pronounced ESS-kuh-luhs). Referred to as the father of tragedy, his works reflect a world in turmoil. One of his greater works is said to have been influenced by the Persians invasion of Greece.

What makes this so significant is that the Diversion Authority, Cass County and Fargo are just modern day versions of the Persians (Iran).  A collection of imperialistic officials bent on power and lustful conquest for land for their chosen subjects and own unjust enrichment.

Aeschylus made an astute observation:

“It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.”

What does this really mean?

The promise being made is only as good as the person making it.

So the previous promises made by the Diversion Authority to quell opposition to the Fargo Dam and FM Diversion can be summed up in the fingers being crossed behind their backs.

Please forgive the eyeroll, when Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker makes the simpering statement:

“…I thought we were supposed to work for resolving problems and that’s what I think I’ve been doing…”

What good is a promise to build a ring dike when the Diversion Authority fully intends to stick the victims with the price tag?

Jim Rohn was correct… “For every promise, there is price to pay.”

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