Southeast residents don't want sidewalks

Several residents who live along Third Street southeast told the Wadena City Council they don't need or want a sidewalk on their block.

Most of the residents who attended last week's meeting lived along the 600 block of Third Street southeast. A petition was signed by all residents on the block. There hasn't been a sidewalk along that stretch of road in the past but the previous city council added sidewalks to several areas in southeast Wadena as part of the new infrastructure project.

Several residents spoke in opposition to sidewalks in that area of southeast Wadena but the council ultimately voted to move ahead with the original plan for sidewalks. Mayor George Deiss voted against the motion to include sidewalks.

City Administrator Brad Swenson prefaced the complaints by reminding the council that there were several open houses and public hearings about the project and people had an opportunity to give input on the project at that time.

"The idea was to have continuous sidewalks for walkability," Swenson said.

Construction crews are well into the infrastructure project and have been digging pipelines throughout the area. Some trees along Third Street will need to be removed to make room for the sidewalk but they hadn't been cut down as of last week's council meeting.

Several residents said they never had a need for a sidewalk and thought it was a burden for residents who will be taxed and have to shovel the walkway.

Bill Poppe said he has two trees that will need to be removed if the sidewalk is added. He has three daughters who said they don't want the trees removed. They also said that they wouldn't use a sidewalk.

"Please save these trees," he said. "No one on this block wants or needs these sidewalks."

Other residents echoed Poppe's comments.

Several elderly residents also were worried about snow and ice removal and thought it was unfair that they had to take care of city property.

Toby Pierce, former city councilman, said that while he was on the council and voted for the plan with sidewalks, he could see now that a lot of trees will need to be removed and it doesn't make a lot of sense.

"I hope you can help people plant new trees after this," he said. "Please give some consideration to that."

Lisa Winter, a southeast Wadena resident, was opposed to removing trees "in the neighborhood I love."

Councilman Bruce Uselman said he wanted to keep the sidewalks in the plan for safety.

"What's troubling to me is we're at the eleventh hour," he said. "The reason sidewalks are there is for public safety."

Councilwoman Gillette Kempf was also in favor of sidewalks for safety and mobility throughout the community.

"We're looking at the community in the next 30-50 years," she said.

Councilman Don Niles said he's torn but ultimately he voted in favor of sidewalks throughout the southeast project.

Councilwoman Deb Wiese said she took several calls from people and understood the concerns of residents but decided to vote with the group for sidewalks.

Mayor George Deiss voted against the motion to keep the sidewalk plan as originally outlined.

Work on the project will continue this fall and the second phase is scheduled for 2016.