Letter to the Editor: If Menard's wants to be a part of our community, they will not build in the Freeport floodplain

"The placement of the Menard's in the flood plain is a giant rip-off to our community. The last thing Decorah and Freeport need is filling of floodplain!

When one drops a big stone in a bathtub what happens to the water? Even 3- to 4-year-olds can figure it out. Folks upstream and downstream may be complacent as to relying on the various processes established in the codes and comprehensive plans that enable the Menard's to take our floodplain and convert it to a big stone in the bathtub.

So sorry for us all that get wet and lose our assets or lives in the venture to pump more material to the landfill.

 
They say: "Well certainly the flood will not go higher than the 7-foot walls around the 4-acre pond. Certainly, all those kids and good folks using the new trail will not mind the cross traffic or the very "scenic"" lumber yard retail complex warehouse smothering out the natural view of the valley." Send them back of the complex to see the back sides of the big complex and have the trail wash out at will with a few episodes of vagrant ill-willed folk potentially stirring up some trouble for the walkers and bikers. Ya see, it is not just a matter of grumpy folks that do not like big box stores… It is a matter of safety and potential of destruction up and downstream because of filling in the flood plain. 

The last flood damn near killed a couple of folk. Take a look .. drive down.  Go past Wally and head to Freeport. Where is the high land now? It is under the development over the top of the flood plain. Take a look.  Take your cell phone and download the app for elevation and check the threshold of Wally and others and then check the threshold of my neighbors who had their basements blow in and mattress float with kids on top.

They say one more store will not influence the flooding. But which one?  There are several now.  Big stones in the bathtub.  In 1855, my house was the highest point in Freeport.  In 2016 it flooded. No water mark in the basement before that. Those big stones add up. My prediction is a few thousand board feet of lumber may float by my front yard in the next flood.

They say ya just cannot stop progress. Progress of what? The floods! That is not happening…. Nope.  If Menard's truly wants to be a part of our community, they will not build there. Their brand name and institutional buying patrons are on the line. The safety of our community is on the line."