Gerber/Pre-release CenterKalispell City Council,
I would like to comment on the proposed pre-release center for prisoners
on the property by Penco Power products in South Kalispell. I am
vehemently opposed to this project. South Kalispell is not the right
location for this type of facility. I work and live in South Kalispell.
In the past five years I've noticed a real improvement in the Southern
part of our fine city. The new Hilton Garden Inn and Blue Canyon
restaurant, the new look of Scotty's with the Winchester steak house,
the new McKenzie River pizza, Jones music, Jackola engineering and
architecture, Southfield Towers, not to mention the nice sidewalks trees
and greenspace that was added with the widening of 93 South a few years
ago and by some miracle the Montana Club is going to build a beautiful
new restaurant right across from where I work at Scarff Auto Center.
My point is South Kalispell is in the midst of urban renewal, there is
no place for a pre-release center for convicted felons in this
environment. Not to mention the fact that Kalispell south of highway 2
has the highest concentration of families in the entire valley.
Families have been priced out of Whitefish and Bigfork and they are
moving here, which is why their schools are losing students. Why would
you put felons in this neighborhood and send them out to look for work.
Which by the way, is in short supply. Where are all these guys going to
work? Whose jobs are they going to take? Did you notice this center is
next to a liquor store, and across the street from a bar and a park
where I take my son and kids are always at play. This is a terrible
idea. There is a reason that these facilities have been located in
bigger cities throughout the State, those cities are big enough to
absorb these former prisoners and their problems. Don't let the state
or anyone else bully you into accepting this. I don't see how this
could possibly benefit taxpaying citizens of Kalispell in any way shape
or form. I urge you to deny this pre-release center as it has been
proposed.
Daniel Gerber
1304 6th Avenue East (porperty owner)
Kalispell, MT 59901
________________________________
Quick access to your favorite MSN content and Windows Live with Internet
Explorer 8. Download FREE now!
<http://ie8.msn.com/microsoft/internet-explorer-8/en-us/ie8.aspx?ocid=B0
37MSN55C0701A>