I understand the mess in a different light. The county needed the city to disagree with them in order to go to arbitration over the matter. Now that the city won't agree or disagree, thus showing their position to the residents, they can stall for time to delay the question of the appropriatness of an arbitration "at this time". This actually is a good tactic by the city as it leaves them in the favorable position of not getting the city and business residents mad and allows them the time to get more information on the "new road" going to the FTZ area if appropriate. This question, of course, should have been studied in the last year during the alleged study period that was going on by the "study group" that of course did nothing at all in the last year but support the agenda they wanted in the first place without looking at what was the real and correct solution of what should be done. This result, no doubt, was influenced by the efforts of the paper mill to direct the study panel to move in the direction the paper mill wanted all along. Lastly, to loose the funds from the state is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, "IF" the 332 extension to Hwy 11 at second bridge "is not" the best solution, then loosing those funds is a good thing. There is no question in my mind and in the minds of the business owners on Hwy 53, that if the new visitor center built by us, for the park service, is accessed by a new road at second bridge rather then forcing the tourist visitors to come thru town, then they are going to loose a lot of that business. The new road is an advantage only to the local Island View route residents and monetarily to whomever gets the contract to build the road. The new road, ie. private driveway, to the front door of a new motel complex built next door to the new visitor center, is not to be over looked either.Like I mentioned to the DJ management a year ago, there is much more going on here then most folks realize. Lastly-last, I think the FTZ probably was and is a farce from the start but as "Chopper" has mentioned it might be a good idea to at least put some effort into. Think of it like buying lottery tickets, you don't have a chance in **** of winning but you have no chance at all if you don't at least try and buy at least one ticket. The verbage about loosing "all" the road money is only a weak threat to force the city to capitulate to the county. It might be time to put the screws to the county government on this burner road issue, there actually no different then the city government. Just a bunch of country folks that know where Mizpah and Cook are located and marginal knowledge of where the walleye are biting. The county government knows who butters their bread also. Don't forget. it was the paper mill that sold all that land to the current owners for this development in the first place and when you get old and "white haired" you might find yourself wanting to retire from the mill and find yourself a "new" job in the new business direction of the area.

The best solution!

The best solution, at this time, is to deny the request by the paper mill to vacate the burner road, at this time and until further study, let the county do what it wants to do about the 332 extension to Hwy 11, (it does not require approval from anybody else including the paper mill), nor is extending 332 anywhere contingent upon giving up the burner road. Condemn the right of way along the property line with the interest of using the state money to build the new road where desired and request additional state and federal road money to build a new road to the FTZ. I t really is a simple decision if your not intimidated by unreasonable external forces that really are not at all as strong or intimidating as you think. The real question does not at all center on the paper mill, what it wants or desires nor is it at all contingent on giving the paper mill anything, including the burner road. The Sheriff and the county and the police department can and should handle any and all safety questions, if any, and these questions are unfounded, without merit and solvable. The Daily Journal originally took the position in support of the paper mill and what it thought was the cities position, that is the DJ's right to do so, but the position of the city government has changed substantialy and the real plot is becoming clearer every day. Even better then my suggestion above is to let the voters decide in November both questions. That is the city votors can decide what they want to do about the burner road and all county votors can decide what to do about a possible new road. Jingle-jingle-jingle, ker chunk-ker chunk, $$$$$$$, thats what its all about. Everything is still going according to plan, its just that not to many in the city or county government seem to be able to see or read the plan. Pawns can only move slowly one step at a time and investment bankers can move as many steps as they want. Taken from an old song from the 60's, "when will they ever learn, When will they evvveerer learn".