Beautify Brainerd?

This new campaign in Brainerd is supposed to beautify Brainerd. Instead, the mounds of garbage on the curbs have had the opposite effect. It has also led to a reduction in safety as the Dumpster divers circle the blocks, driving 10 mph and stopping suddenly without regard to others on the roads. It has also allowed me to witness the “hard working” city employees, to whom the laws apparently do not apply, parking their vehicles in front of my driveway, and forcing me to drive over my yard just to be allowed to go to work to pay for this “free” program.

Editor’s note: The Vox Pop Department of a More Beautiful Brainerd says, “Have a nice day.”

Try to stay inside the lines

To the person that wanted the school district to “spare a couple gallons of yellow paint” for parking lines on the Adamson Field lot, your two gallons are waiting on the back porch. Try to do a neat job and feel free to keep what’s left over.

Editor’s note: The Vox Pop Department of a More Beautiful Brainerd says, “Ditto.”

Wants answers

What’s the matter with Wright Street? It’s in terrible shape. Why can’t they fix it? Was it poorly constructed in the first place? Why did they extend it to the east? They should have fixed the portion west of SE 13th Street before extending it. Why build more when you don’t or can’t maintain what you have? I’d like to have someone from the city answer these questions.

Vox Pop another comics section

The comment in Vox Pop regarding the unsigned letter to Bob Olson gave me a good laugh. “Since when do we put any credence in a letter that goes unsigned?” That is why I view Vox Pop as another comics section of the paper.

Cleanup questions

Why is the city using fire trucks to collect brush for the city-wide cleanup? What if there is a fire and the trucks are out collecting brush? Wouldn’t it be better to have the curb side pick-up after the city wide garage sale? Perhaps some items could be sold and re-used instead of thrown away.

Something stinks in Pequot

Does anyone from Pequot Lakes smell the sewer plant lately, or is it just me? For years the odor was short lived, but the last few years it has stunk for months. Let whoever is in control know about it.

Garage sale ad costs

How come the Brainerd residents get a break for garage sale ads May 9-14 for $15 but the Baxter residents who want to put an ad in the paper for garage sales have to pay $25? What do you think of that? Is that fair or aren’t we counted in the ads and things? I would like to hear the feelings from people on what they think of that.

Editor’s note: The Brainerd Dispatch has partnered with the city of Brainerd for the city-wide cleanup and garage sale event taking place this week. The discount to Brainerd residents is offered because of the city-wide garage sales scheduled for Saturday.

What plane?

So the plane needs paint and looks bad for the regional airport. For many of the vets of all branches of the armed forces, that plane represents and is a symbol of our service era. If you haven’t served perhaps your thoughts are only if it looks good. It probably needs paint but is that the most important thing? Why not start a volunteer committee to raise funds to paint? We’re fortunate to have it so please don’t just get rid of it. Show cost and figures to paint, not just gab.

Scavengers going through discarded items

I think this city-wide cleanup is a great idea and want to thank the city council for doing it. The only thing I don’t like though is the little parasites that are running around town going through your stuff, throwing it all over your yard, trying to see what they can salvage and sell themselves. That’s really low.

Shiny streets

Thanks for the pick-up, guys. Our streets are starting to shine.

Ad on obituary page

I was just wondering whose idea it was to put the Xcel Energy ad that says “Call 811 at least two business days before you dig” at the top of the obituary page on the website?

Congrats on city-wide cleanup

I’m very happy that Brainerd is doing their city-wide community cleanup because there was definitely a lot of junk out here in the town. Mr. Olson and his helper needs to be congratulated for finally doing something that’s positive toward the town. And I hope that he keeps up doing this type of stuff. And next year, we can have the same thing.

Need to replace administrators

Man, I hope the school district isn’t going to ask the community for money. They are now going to spend over $160,000 on a new reading program. Is the old one broken? What are the number of students who can’t do well with the present system? Maybe we need to replace the over $100,000 administrators who make unnecessary spendy recommendations and decisions.

Vox Pop, voice of the people, publishes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Submissions are limited to 100 words. To phone in a comment, call (218) 855-5888 and leave a message. To email a comment, write to voxpop@brainerddispatch.com. Comments, which must meet the newspaper’s standards of fairness and good taste, may be edited for clarity, length and libel.