Missoula City Council Chambers

All of your taxes go into pointless roundabouts and walkbridges instead of fixing the roads. Schools are making budget cuts and cutting classes because they don’t have the funding needed. The engineers are fascinated with pretty road decorations and speed bumps.nIt’s a very unprofessional council; and they NEVER meet with the townsfolk when requested. They act like they are God’s and we are peasants.

Dear Council,nnMy name is Mark Kersting I have lived in Missoula for the past 18 years. I want to express immediately how disparaging you seem to so many Missoula citizens in regards to our well being primarily on the North and West sides of Missoula.nnI will attest that my dissatisfaction with the city council is not new. I feel your predecessors have also failed in many regards from public safety issues to how our tax dollars are poorly managed and spent and very deeply the utter lack of progressive vision of our cities growth. You embody classism in gross context and your actions or more so, lack of them justifies this letter.nnI live on the Northside 827 Woody St, Missoula, Mt 59802 to be specific. I period restored the Rose Building and The Stensrud building. Today I will use the Northside pedestrian bridge as an overall motif for what is viewed not only by me but many many citizens of this beautiful city.nnThe bridge was meant to serve citizens in several ways.nn1. Infrastructure capital improvement: This bridge is needlessly deteriorating rapidly. it's is devaluing the neighborhoods on both sides of the bridge.nnThe remedy was practically elementary if expansion joints would have been administered in the concrete ramps in the initial construction we would still have a valuable piece of infrastructure. This is a gross example of build it and forget it. I made comment to the city engineering dept that without expansion jointsnthis would destroy the bridge. The city took no action and it is chronic here the lack of resolve this City persists in.nn2. Public access to and from the downtown area: It does serve this purpose at present however it is very possible the lack of concern by the city will rob citizens of accessibility due to it be condemned. Concrete will soon be falling through the substructure. It does not offer safe passage many are terrified to cross it.nn3. Handicap accessibility to and from the downtown area: Not three months after it's construction the elevators were closed due to vandalism. This is a gross example of lazy & indifferent planning. If a passkey would have been issued to the disabled and cameras would have been in place our disabled citizens would have this safe method of transport from on side of town to the other, they do not and will not because you have not the fortitude and vision to do the right thing.nn4. Urban beautification project: This bridge was to enhance the physical character of our city it offers quite the opposite it is ugly and looks prison like at night infected with pigeon droppings and low-class fencing. There is nothing beautiful about this bridge except the beautiful tiles the neighborhood children produced.nn5. Public safety: Public safety is your primary objective as public servants. This bridge is not safe in all facets as stated above. Most women I know feel they take a risk of being assaulted especially if walking across the bridge. It is filthy and very unsanitary due to trash human waste and pigeon droppings. It is not safe for those who have disabilities by any stretch.nnThis is only one example of gross negligence that the city of Missoula has previously and at present involved itself in. Shame on you!nnIn earnest, Mark Kersting

There is no off/On ramp for the city dump. For the rout for it it disturbs the peace of the neighborhood. Scents my wife and I moved in the area. The most sleep I've had in one day was 2 1/2 hours. Because I was able to get off work an hour early. The noise starts about 4:30-5:15. So I ask the city council if you all are going to help the city start with this & the brig everyone is complaining about

This council uses shady, underhanded tactics to pass their agenda. The newer, younger members are trying to enact real change but the older members are somehow keeping things stagnant while spending more money than ever. I like Jessie Ramos, Julie Armstrong and Michelle Cares. Von Lossberg and John Engen specifically a major detriment to the city of Missoula.

The City Council spends money like an 18 year old with a credit card.