The Othersiders
The Other Siders: There is a general consensus in the Town that what is good for Oak Street is good for Magnolia Springs. This attitude fails to recognize the value of the people on the "other side" of the River and the "other side" of the highway. In spite of current local, regional, and national trends elected officials are to represent all constituents within their voting area, not just the ones they agree with or perhaps who elected them. While that may be a naïve idea, it is nonetheless how it should be.
Sidewalks?: The Town has proposed building a sidewalk along Gates Avenue, Old Marlow Rd. , School Street, and Magnolia Avenue. The Town apparently has grant money to build a something somewhere, so why not a sidewalk to nowhere on Gates Avenue, Old Marlow Rd, School Street and Magnolia Avenue? People walk on Oak Street - that would be the obvious place for a sidewalk. If you wanted to build a sidewalk on Gates Avenue would you put on the Park Side where people actually might use it for PUBLIC purposes, south side, where no one walks? Why not use PUBLIC land - the Park and the Firehall, where the land is flat? Why build a sidewalk that does not connect to other sidewalks? Why encourage people to cross the highway, both at Gates Avenue and School Street? Of course none of this is about logic. Did they actually ask ANY of the homeowners on Gates Avenue, Old Marlow Rd, School Street, and Magnolia Avenue if they wanted a sidewalk?
Thru Trucks: No thru trucks in the Historic Springs District, but diverting all truck traffic down Gates Ave is OK. Just keep those trucks off Oak Street!
Property Owners: Property owners who are not full time residents are not currently represented by council or Mayor. Never has the town solicited input from the community of than by attendance at a Town Hall. This in effect excludes people who own vacation homes, rental property and businesses in the Town.