Letter to the Editor: "I'm glad to be part of a community that can talk over issues even when we disagree"

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by Liz Rog of Decorah):

"Thanks to Ardith Stockman-Ramsey for telling us in a recent letter (http://www.decorahnews.com/archived-stories/2018/02/18580.html) about her passionate allegiance to Alliant Energy as her electrical power provider.

I am the person she refers to in the letter. I was in the co-op inviting signatures for the petition hosted by Decorah Power. I am not a leader in the Decorah Power campaign; I am simply an engaged local citizen who has lived in the county and worked in Decorah for four decades. Though I live just north of town and my energy company is not involved in this issue, its outcome will affect my life through its effect on this town where I work, play, and buy what I need.

Ardith suggests that it's inappropriate for me to engage in this issue since I pay no bills to Alliant. I disagree. I care and speak out about the preservation of National Parks even though I don't live near one; I care and speak out about the need for clean water in Des Moines even though I'll never live there; I care and speak out about gun violence even though I don't own one and have many friends and neighbors who do. I care about many things beyond those that personally affect me, because I care about the world we share.

The day that Ardith came by the petition table at the co-op was my first hour of taking signatures and hers was the first complaint I had heard from a Freeport person. I listened long and well to her concerns and told her that I would learn the reason that she would not be able to vote on May 1st. She was unwilling to continue the conversation. I'm so glad for this chance now to report what I learned later that very day.

Here's the scoop. The Decorah City Council cannot, per Iowa law, involve Freeport in either a referendum or a bonding requirement. Freeport is a different city. If the May 1st referendum passes (which would merely result in a continued investigation into the feasibility of a municipal utility, NOT in the automatic creation of one), the money required to do that will come from Decorah, not Freeport. Clearly, it would be neither logical nor possible to involve Freeport in voting for something that they can't be asked to pay for.

Ardith told me that day that she was angry that this decision might be forced on her, that she wanted to be able to choose her electrical provider. Later I thought: did she choose Alliant? No. She never got to cast a vote for or against Alliant. Would she say that Alliant was forced on her?

I am glad to do my very small part to help Decorah Power become a reality. I see the many benefits that will come to our community—not just Decorah citizens, but to all who work, play, and visit this place. Local power is working in 136 other Iowa cities, and it will work here.

I am glad to be part of a group that gathered signatures for its petition in-person so that real conversations like this can take place among people who have different information and different viewpoints. It's because of that that Ardith got to speak her concern to someone who cared to listen and to find the answer to her question.  I'm glad to be part of a community that can talk over issues even when we disagree. Let's keep doing it.

Thank you Decorah Power for your caring, energy, and vision for our beautiful town!"