Monday, July 2, 2007

Welcome to the Bradbury Buzzz!

A few months ago my husband said to me, "You should be blogging." Realizing that this was his way of saying that he had, at least for the moment, had enough of my politics, I retorted, "Not I! I'm a talker, not a writer!" Since then, our world changed. On April 18, 2007 we read in the local newspaper, the Mille Lacs Messenger, that 38 acres in Bradbury Township - our township - was being purchased, annexed, and rezoned by the City of Onamia, to be sold to the Nexus Corporation. This lovely acreage, which is right down our street, was chosen to be the building site for a multi-million dollar complex to house Mille Lacs Academy, a juvenile sex offender facility. A juvenile sex offender facility? "NIMBY! NIMBY!" I cried.

We live in a rural area just west of Onamia. Our small group of outraged neighbors quickly banded together, determined to fight City Hall. We organized and formed the Onamia Area Citizens for Responsible Growth. We hired a lawyer. And for the past two months, that is exactly what we have been attempting to do - fight to save our neighborhood. It hasn't been easy. We're learning a lot. And there have certainly been a lot of surprises along the way. My life has changed drastically. I'm not social. I'm not civic-minded. Let's face it, I enjoy being a hermit, minding my own business. I miss my quiet life. I spend most of my time these days researching, preparing for city council meetings, planning strategies, attending neighborhood meetings, school board meetings, talking on the phone, starting an online newspaper, and now, although it still hasn't sunk in, I'm finally blogging.

There's a lot to tell you about. The purpose of this blog is to inform area residents of what we know that they aren't hearing, to give them our side of the story, and to engage people in an open forum. Please post your comments. Ask questions. Give suggestions. We'll see where this goes. To learn more about what's happening in our neck of the woods, visit our new online newspaper, The Mille Lacs News. http://www.millelacsnews.com

My name is Hannabelle. Welcome to my blog.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

No Annexation without Representation!!!

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Hannabelle! It's about time somebody "tells it like it is". Love the Mille Lacs News too! Keep up the good work!!! __ "Ox"

Anonymous said...

who's to say that "your side of the story" is any more truthful than the stuff in the papers. You are trying to save your neighborhood and for that I commend you, but thats where the kudos end. Where were you when the MLA moved into the city? Let me guess you didn't care because it didn't affect you. For years the good people of Onamia have lived here side by side with the Academy and there has been very little complaining. True there have been some issues, but not too many. Ask yourself this if any other business wanted to build there would there be this much bitching? I doubt it.

Hannabelle said...

To Academy Spouse:
Thank you for your comments.

You asked where I was when the MLA moved into the city. Well, I was commuting 120 miles per day to my jobs (I had more than one). I'd leave for work early in the morning and get home around midnight. I'd do chores and go to bed so I could get up the next day and do it all over again. You see, I was busy building my life SO I COULD SOMEDAY ENJOY A PEACEFUL, QUIET RETIREMENT HERE ON THE LAND THAT I LOVE. In hindsight, I was stupid. If I'd known then what I know today, I would have moved away long ago instead of building my dreams here - among people who don't care because it doesn't affect them.

I'm afraid that you guessed wrong about my not caring. If I didn't care, I wouldn't be doing all of this to save my neighborhood. I am actually less affected than my neighbors, but I will support them to the bitter end. They are my neighbors. What has been done here is wrong on many levels. Someone has to stand up and say so, even if people target me with their cruel hate.

I would be just as adament against any other commercial building complexes or institution being placed in this R1 location, especially considering the methods used by the city to place it here in Bradbury Township. I'm sorry if you can't understand why I don't want MLA here (with the noise, the traffic, the intrusion on my privacy, etc.) Take it across Highway 169 and I'll quit my complaining.