A few weeks ago FMDam.org made a request on Facebook directed at students of the Kindred and Richland Colfax schools districts on what the Fargo Dam and FM Diversion means to them.
Show our guest writers support and encourage a student you know to share their thoughts.
The proposed dam and diversion, as seen through their eyes and thoughts of how it may impact their future.
Our first submission comes from Crystal Johnson, of Horace, ND, Kindred HS Alumni and current student at Mayville State.
What the Fargo Dam means to me: it means that my family’s farm that has been there for 112 years, two school districts, much farm land, a whole township, small towns and land owners will be affected. I dont think Fargo understands this is not just something we are going to have to give, up it is life style.
One question, What is Fargo giving up?” Nothing!
To me as a young adult I dont want to see these things happen because I love the small town living and my family farm. How many kids can say that they live on their family farm that was built by Great Great Grandpa in 1897 and 5 generations have lived on it.
I want to know, why cant Fargo go with different projects that will not cost as much or not affect so many people? Like buy out people on the Red River like Moorhead did, go on the Minnesota side or build levies and higher dikes that work? If dikes don’t work, why is Grand Forks and Wahpeton doing fine and using them?
Fargo does not care about anybody but themselves. So many people have lost everything because of Hurricane Sandy and Fargo still only cares about the Diversion Ditch; I think that the money for this project should go to the Hurricane Sandy people. I have nothing against Fargo–I shop, work and do other things there, but I dont think this is the right project to go with!
I hope that the state of ND and the federal government understand that this project will only help Fargo and harm all of us. Isn’t ND for farm land and education and if this project is built it will harm prime farm land and two school districts.
From the school perspective, two schools may start losing kids and get rid of programs that they should not have to lose.
Crystal Johnson
Horace, ND
Kindred School Graduate
Views: 159
This project has really divided us.
I wonder what young people in Fargo think or does it have to hit close to home to really make it matter to anyone? I was at a restaurant yesterday and overheard a woman at a full table say to the effect that “the farmers have lived there over 100 years, that’s long enough.”
I don’t know if there was some meeting yesterday but I recognized Mayor Voxland and his wife at a different booth so it might have been a group of teachers.
That attitude reflects the one shown by the Diversion A’s and is extremely reprehensible when they are talking about something your grandfather and great-grandfather worked their lives for and built for future generations of their own choosing.
Doug