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Dear Friends of Buehler Park:
In this newsletter is:
1. DEFENDING BUEHLER PARK
2. BUEHLER PARK LOOKING GOOD
3. AND A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO LAMBDA SIGMA PI
4. SEARCH FOR A NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION
5. PARKS TAX
6. THE BEST KEPT SECRET ON I-44 IS GETTING OUT
7. TREES
8. PHOTOS
9. IN MEMORIAM
10. WEBSITE RECONSTRUCTION
11. GREAT RIVERS ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
12. CONTACT INFO FOR CITY OFFICIALS
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1. DEFENDING BUEHLER PARK
I have not heard anything more about the city's plans to build an animal shelter in Buehler Park and/or fence it in for dog runs. But, I suspect these, or other plans, will surface again. I doubt that the city has given up its desire to destroy Buehler Park, in spite of the court order enjoining it from “taking action that is inconsistent with [Buehler Park's] use as a public park.” This is a shame since Buehler Park is such a valuable treasure. There is so much that could be done to enhance this public park.
I think it was a big mistake for me to stop attending city council meetings back in 2013 after the jury acquitted Donna Hawley of bogus charges of assaulting a Rolla Municipal Utilities employee. I have been attending meetings fairly regularly since the city went public with its plans for building an animal shelter in Buehler Park. I remind them regularly that I am watching them and that they remain under a court ordered injunction. The city needs these reminders. They need to know that we are watching them and ready to defend our park again, as necessary.
Phone calls and emails are also helpful. Click here for contact information for city officials.
2. BUEHLER PARK LOOKING GOOD
Thanks to Ken Kwantes, Stan Busch, Kristy Rich and the Rolla Parks and Recreation Department, Buehler Park has been looking neat and tidy all year long.
3. AND A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO LAMBDA SIGMA PI
Lambda Sigma Pi, Missouri S&T's women's service organization, has been hard at work picking up trash and cleaning up Buehler Park. Check out this photo.
4. SEARCH FOR A NEW DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION
The search has begun and the city hopes to have a new director on board by the first of the year.
5. PARKS TAX
Funds from the Parks and Recreation Tax that passed last April will begin to flow into the city coffers around the end of the year. Buehler Park is slated to receive bathrooms, a water fountain and new playground equipment in the near future.
6. THE BEST KEPT SECRET ON I-44 IS GETTING OUT
Parks situated next to an exit from the Interstate and adjacent to good food and lodging are almost as rare as hen's teeth. I've suggested to the City and the Chamber of Commerce on numerous occasions that they should not be keeping the existence of Buehler Park a secret. Nevertheless, word of mouth is the best advertising and the secret is getting out. Check out the photo gallery.
7. TREES
Can you believe that after the wet Spring and early Summer, Phelps County is now in a moderate stage of drought? Our young trees did well early in the growing season and we've been trying to get them through the dry spell by watering them regularly — particularly the new trees we planted in the Spring. We're planning to add two flowering dogwoods once the trees go dormant and we get a little rain to moisten up the soil.
We now have a total of 43 young trees we've planted since 2007 when the Court enjoined the city from alienating Buehler Park.
8. PHOTOS
For those of you who can't get to Buehler Park, Check out the photo gallery. We have added seven new photos since last newsletter.
9. IN MEMORIAM
In the last newsletter, I mentioned a few friends of Buehler Park who recently passed away, I neglected to mention Betty Eyberg.
Betty Eyberg was a true friend of Buehler Park and stood with us throughout the 11 year court battle to save Buehler Park. She passed away on March 4, 2015.
This list is not meant to be inclusive. If I missed anyone, I apologize. Please let me know and I will add them in the next newsletter.
10. WEBSITE RECONSTRUCTION
I'm still planning one of these days to go through all the material that was on the old Buehler Park website and incorporate it into the new site. Maybe this winter.
11. GREAT RIVERS ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
Some victories don't stay won. In previous issues, I mentioned that Great Rivers won a victory against Landvatter Ready Mix which withdrew its application to construct a concrete plant on the border of Shaw Nature Reserve. Landvatter refiled its application and Great Rivers is now challenging the concrete plant in Circuit Court.
The suit against the Missouri General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to uphold Missouri's Renewable Energy Standard, in which I am a plaintiff, has moved to the Supreme Court of Missouri, where we won a recent victory forcing Empire Electric to provide its customers rebates for producing solar energy.
If you have not done so recently, please consider making a donation to Great Rivers Environmental Law Center. Checks can be mailed to Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, 319 No. Fourth St., Suite 800, St. Louis, MO 63102. Great Rivers is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Donations can also be made online from Great Rivers' website. Please help Great Rivers so they can continue to help others as they helped us.
12. CONTACT INFO FOR CITY OFFICIALS
Click here
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If you don't wish to receive occasional notices about Buehler Park and related topics, let me know and I'll take you off this list.
If you want to be added to this list, let me know.
Have a great day and thanks for your support for Buehler Park.
Tom Sager, Secretary/Treasurer/Webmaster/Editor
Citizens for the Preservation of Buehler Park
yushasager (at) yahoo.com
http://buehlerpark.org
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