Letter to the Editor: "A vote for allowing Menards to build their proposed store here in Decorah will have a long lasting and positive impact"

"Very soon the Decorah City Council will have the unique task of casting a vote for the best economical opportunity the city of Decorah has had in years and maybe for years to come.  A vote that I hope you don't take lightly and will give it much thought.

With a vote for allowing Menards to build their proposed store here in Decorah, I believe will have a long lasting and positive impact of not only for our city, but also will have a positive impact on Winneshiek County as a whole, the Winneshiek Medical Center, the Decorah School System and the Northeast Iowa Community College.

This will be done with the increase of sales tax revenue (projected $300,000 in generated sales taxes) and with the increase of property taxes ($272,000) that Menards will pay, both of which will help our city, county, schools, hospital and community college to continue offering and providing the top quality services we have come to expect.

And I am willing to bet that once the Menard's is built you will have other opportunities to be a part of other positive and exciting projects that will follow this one.

In fact I do believe the city received a letter with several names and addresses from residents from Waukon, Harpers Ferry and other communities hoping that Decorah allows Menard's to build because they want to come to Decorah instead of driving to La Crosse or Dubuque to shop at a Menard's. Plus who has ever driven out of town to shop at a Menard's, Kohl's or a Target and not also gone out to eat and shop at other businesses? It's a very positive trickledown effect.

As for the flooding issue--the two different studies that were done both showed little to no impact on property down the river from this proposed retail development. 

Thank you for your time and willingness to serve all the citizens of Decorah."