Hutchinson Leader - Opinion - Comments

I missed the initial

Raymond Norton — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:18:31 -0600

I missed the initial conversations about the new working relationship between the City, and School District, although I am aware of the grounds keeping arrangement. Using your examples, am I to assume the extent of the new arrangement is all about sharing buildings?

The HATS facility in

Matt McMillan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:11:04 -0600

The HATS facility in Hutchinson is an example of state, county and city governments sharing a garage for road and snow equipment, mechanics, tools, etc.

McLeod For Tomorrow group was also put together to get cities in the county talking to eachother.

A recent story in the Leader mentioned the possibility that Hutchinson's building department might be used to inspect Glencoe buildings. That sharing of people could help both cities.

Gov. Pawlenty also allocated money in the 2009 state budget for each county to review if could combine its police dispatching centers with neighboring counties. That could result in 87 counties using far fewer dispatching centers, and avoiding paying for expensive radio equipment in each county.

Private businesses review efficiencies and partnerships, too. Clock Tower Plaza in Hutchinson is a office condominium with businesses sharing an underground garage, etc.

A School-City facility group

...---___ — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:04:25 -0600

A School-City facility group is a GREAT idea! Maximize utilization, gain efficiencies, lower costs, and attract new businesses and new people to Hutchinson.

Mayor Cook: When I spoke

Raymond Norton — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:54:16 -0600

Mayor Cook:

When I spoke with you on the phone the other day about this emerging relationship with the school district, I was attempting to grasp the full benefit and impact of such an association. I know you have an upcoming meeting concerning the subject, but wonder if you could now, or after the meeting, provide specific examples of what such a relationship might look like, and what you hope to accomplish. I for one, like the idea of each entity being aware of each others short and long range goals. I would assume this would lead to planning projects and expenditures accordingly, but I can see some would be leery of such a connection. I think it would benefit everyone if we could have a discussion about it on this forum to educate the public, and dispel misinformation.

Hello hutchsports64... Did

jollyjoker — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:28:02 -0600

Hello hutchsports64... Did you take too many hits to the noggin during your prep career? This rant has been over for a month. Why bring it up again if you think it contained nothing but comments from a "bunch of fools". Best I can tell, you're the only fool when you beat a dead horse after it's been gone for a full month. Okay, so you're not the lone fool... Cletus from Kansas on the Oct. 2 post is your home-boy fool, too. Go Tigers.

Alright... So I don't know

hutchsports64 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:53:28 -0600

Alright... So I don't know if any of you know this or not or even if this has already been stated in past comments. But one of the reasons Hutchinson has sooo... many players on the sidelines is because we allow the JV and 10th grade teams to often stand on the sidelines. We do this not only for numbers or to ensure if we have an injury we are well covered. But to gel as one entity. There are so many players down on that field for the experience. They are all out there for support! so just stop already. enough with the rants about playing time. it is getting ridiculous. Being down on the field is an AMAZING experience in itself. Just because you are not playing as much as the other players or even at all you do learn a lot from it. Ask any of the players past or present and they will all tell you no matter how much playing time they got. They learned something from football and the team and the experience. So just calm down about all of this. Do you really think all of your ranting is going to change any of this. No, and in fact you all just look like a bunch of fools. And by all I mean the ones that clearly have no idea what they are talking about.

dragonflylady, yes it is

justlisahere — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:29:35 -0500

dragonflylady,

yes it is mandatory that by the end of this year all rental units had to be compliant with c o's being in every unit.

Absolutely! Kids can get

dragonflylady — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:43:42 -0500

Absolutely! Kids can get into just as much trouble before curfew as they can after curfew.

Parents should also know

bosoxguy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:04:18 -0500

Parents should also know where their kids are before the curfew times. Know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing.

Is there any brand that is

dragonflylady — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:56:35 -0500

Is there any brand that is better than others? Or are they all pretty much the same. Also, is it code for Landlords to have them in their rental units?

curfews have been around

justlisahere — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:15:17 -0500

curfews have been around since what the late forties and early fifties? I have no problem with a curfew, my daughter how ever does lol. God mom it is so fifties having a curfew. I said it is in place so that you kids do not get into any mischief.She said she hardly did hahaha. With the vandalisms happening, it is good to have it because then we as parents know where our children are after 9 at night and 100 am if they are 17.

Moral of the story? If

jollyjoker — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:55:23 -0500

Moral of the story? If you're out late at night, remember these simple words: "I am on my way home, officer." It's all good.

Of course they don't!! If

arcy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:11:00 -0500

Of course they don't!! If parents knew where their kids were at all times Big Brother wouldn't have to make a law to guarantee it. If parents would do their job and parent, know who their kids are with, make sure they are home the same day they left, CARE, we could all sleep better at night. The world is a much more dangerous place than it has ever been, but instead of reigning our kids in we let them stay out, roaming aimlessly, getting into mischief, like never before. Standards are not a bad thing "parents". If you need a government entity to tell you what is safe for your children, you should never have become a parent. You aren't qualified.

For it what it's worth, the

Jorge Sosa — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:42:55 -0500

For it what it's worth, the city of Hutchinson's existing curfew ordinance contains a very similar set of exceptions.

One main difference I see is the county's proposed ordinance adds a separate exception for minors "involved in an emergency." Also, while the county ordinance makes an exception for minors "on an errand at the direction of the minor’s parent or guardian, without any detour or stop," the city's corresponding exception seems stricter:

The provisions of this section shall not apply .... to a minor who is upon an emergency errand at the direction of his or her parent, guardian or other adult person having the primary care and custody of the minor ...

An emergency errand is defined in the ordinance as:

A task that if not completed promptly threatens the health, safety or comfort of the minor or a member of the minor’s household. The term shall include, but shall not be limited to, seeking urgent medical treatment, seeking urgent assistance from law enforcement or fire department personnel and seeking shelter from the elements or urgent assistance from a utility company due to a natural or human-made calamity.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)

Hopefully when this passes

Wildfan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:56:45 -0500

Hopefully when this passes the county will have to deal with less vandalism such as mailboxes being smashed, road signs being shot, and fields being driven through. Judging by the Sheriff's report in the McLeod County Chronicle that seems to be an every weekend event. Can't imagine that giving cops the right to stop a car load of juveniles cruising on the backroads at "O dark thirty" will curb these events at all. I imagine this will also cut down on underage drinking in this county as well. Believe it or not even the "good" kids drink when they are underage. And even the "good" kids then get behind the wheel and drive. And even the "good" kids get in crashes. And when they do we all blame system for not being stricter. In the end I think this ordinance will save a lot of taxpayer money because we won't have to be footing the bill on fixing road signs and all the vandalism that occurs past the hours of curfew. It also should eventually lead to a small drop in crashes which saves us all money on insurance in the long run.