Richard Pardon, Minot

Buy Local – Keep your money at home – Promote Local Businesses – “Great Idea.” But the county and city governments don’t seem to understand the concept.

Recently the Ward County commissioners voted to open an on-line account with Amazon.

Several months ago the Minot City Council awarded a $250,000 contract to an out-of-state company for five new police cars. Keep in mind this out-of-state company pays no local taxes or no local employees.

By the way, the local company that lost the police car bid, by a whooping 2.5 percent, pays in excess of $750,000 in local property tax and employs upwards of 200 employees whom also pay local taxes.

It seems, the reason the City had to accept the low bid from an out-of-state company was to save the taxpayers money.

My question is this? If the City is always saving the taxpayers money, why is the new city budget proposed to go up 52 percent. There isn’t a business in this city or household that could survive if their expenses went up 52 percent.

Fact of the matter is, city management and City Council with few exceptions know nothing about the facts of business or economic development.

Moving on, the City has a Magic Fund/MADC Director, with at least 2 assistants promoting economic development with payroll and other expenses I estimate well over $300,000.

Thats not all, sitting on the sidelines is a tourism and convention bureau run by a director and at least one assistant with a healthy budget. Last but not least is the dormant Chamber of Commerce, financed by local business whose main purpose seems to be yellow ribbon cutting ceremonies and Gold Eagle Awards instead of really getting with it and promoting the surrounding area.

Folks that’s not the end. The City Council, in their ultimate wisdom, recently hired a high-profile Economic Development Director to promote the city and oversee overall development for a salary over six figures.

Last City Council meeting, one of the councilmen made a comment, something to the effect, not wanting the public to get the impression the City Council is disfunctional.

Citizens, you be the Judge!