(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by David Amdahl of Decorah):
"Many recent letters as well as a Decorah Power ad stress that a 'yes' vote May. 1st doesn't mean there will be a municipal electric utility, but only authorizes the City Council to proceed with an application to the Iowa Utilities Board. This is correct, but it is very unlikely that the present council would not honor the will of the people should the measure pass.
The NewGen Feasibility Study commissioned by Citizens for Decorah Power, in table 2-2, estimates $300,000 for attorney fees and $200,000 for consultant fees. City Manager Bird in the April 3rd Public Opinion stated that he has been advised "it costs more than 1 million to submit an application to the IUB."
So, if you think it's a good idea to spend that amount of money to convince the IUB to do something they have never done since 1974, and fix a problem that may not even exist, go ahead and vote 'yes.'
But if you believe that money would be better spent here in Decorah on police and fire protection, streets, sewer and water, then the logical option would be to vote 'no.'