Livin' In The Wild, Wild West
I just had to share the headline with you. This from the weekly Cheney Free Press, which is not free, by the way. Top story... Squirrel knocks out power to city, again! Yes, two months ago a squirrel (I assume a different one) shut the lights off for several hours. Now, this is actually new and different. In the past, we would lose electricity every time it rained! The slightest drizzle would set us back 100 years. I guess there were cracked insulators on the light poles that would short out with a little rainfall. Who knew a city's electrical grid was so fragile. Go figure!
Actually, it does figure... at least for this little town. The city budget has been in dire straits for the last several years... so much so, they had to close down their park and rec dept. I think they had to have volunteers mow the parks and promise to clean the bathrooms and provide their own toilet paper, just to get the city to unlock them for events like kids soccer and softball.
Now comes the worst of news. The darn Seattle Seahawks, who did me the greatest of favors by holding their summer camp just up the street at EWU, are building a new practice facility and will not return to Cheney after this year. That puts a 1 million dollar hole in the already meager budget. Ouch! I hate to imagine the effects of this over the next couple of years.
You can usually tell by driving through a town, whether it's thriving or dying. Cheney, even with a major University here, looks like it's on it's last legs. Part of that is due to just downright poor planning. For example, a small restaurant (which is in a house) on the main street wanted to expand. So they put up a pole barn next to the house! Gawd! This sooo belongs on Spence's list! You know you're a red neck when "fine dining" is eating in a new pole barn!
I probably sound overly critical, and ya know what? I am. It's because this is a really cool little town with a ton of friggin' potential. In the three years that we've lived here, we've seen some really bizarre decisions made within the city regarding zoning and the comprehensive plan. It seems that who ever yells the loudest, gets action. Then they change the policies, laws, zonings, whatever to make everything lawful.
But I tell ya what! Ya'll come visit, and I'll take ya out to the nicest sit-down pole barn this side of the Mississippi! Ya Hear?
___________________________
Here is a photo of my pole barn being built. This is quite a bit smaller than most. Pole barns are built with the least amount of lumber possible. There is no framing for wall cavities. There are no footings or foundations. The "poles" are stuck in a hole in the ground with some concrete poured in. Not much different than building a fence. Doesn't quite meet Commercial Building Codes.
Actually, it does figure... at least for this little town. The city budget has been in dire straits for the last several years... so much so, they had to close down their park and rec dept. I think they had to have volunteers mow the parks and promise to clean the bathrooms and provide their own toilet paper, just to get the city to unlock them for events like kids soccer and softball.
Now comes the worst of news. The darn Seattle Seahawks, who did me the greatest of favors by holding their summer camp just up the street at EWU, are building a new practice facility and will not return to Cheney after this year. That puts a 1 million dollar hole in the already meager budget. Ouch! I hate to imagine the effects of this over the next couple of years.
You can usually tell by driving through a town, whether it's thriving or dying. Cheney, even with a major University here, looks like it's on it's last legs. Part of that is due to just downright poor planning. For example, a small restaurant (which is in a house) on the main street wanted to expand. So they put up a pole barn next to the house! Gawd! This sooo belongs on Spence's list! You know you're a red neck when "fine dining" is eating in a new pole barn!
I probably sound overly critical, and ya know what? I am. It's because this is a really cool little town with a ton of friggin' potential. In the three years that we've lived here, we've seen some really bizarre decisions made within the city regarding zoning and the comprehensive plan. It seems that who ever yells the loudest, gets action. Then they change the policies, laws, zonings, whatever to make everything lawful.
But I tell ya what! Ya'll come visit, and I'll take ya out to the nicest sit-down pole barn this side of the Mississippi! Ya Hear?
___________________________
Here is a photo of my pole barn being built. This is quite a bit smaller than most. Pole barns are built with the least amount of lumber possible. There is no framing for wall cavities. There are no footings or foundations. The "poles" are stuck in a hole in the ground with some concrete poured in. Not much different than building a fence. Doesn't quite meet Commercial Building Codes.
posted by Barb at 4:45 PM
4 Comments:
um...
whats a pole barn??
(i realize this may be a stupid question.)
I added a photo of a pole barn. I don't know if you can tell, but there isn't much to it's construction. Bigger lumber, but less framing than a normal garage would require.
Yes, there is such a thing as a stupid question... but that was not one of them! :-)
This is hilarious. Fortunately in VT, we have all kinds of zoning...it's practically impossible to do anything, even if it's on your own property. But across the river in NH, where the motto is "Live Free or Die" stuff like this pole barn happens ALL THE TIME. Sorry your little town is suffering from poor planning...I hope it doesn't drive you out of business... but hearing about it is quite entertaining!!!
Looks nice! Awesome content. Good job guys.
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