Confusion and frustration can lead to rumors gaining more traction. I think Morris has certainly been through a fair amount of confusion in connection to the water treatment plant. At present, the only positive I have taken from this is to be less trusting of grand government schemes and their spokesmen.
Maybe I was naive at the start, as I heard about the plant going online and assumed there would be an orderly and logical process to follow. I remember putting this matter on my "list of things to do" over a period of time. "Softener."
I had no background on the topic. My late parents had our old Kinetico softener installed, and my only knowledge about it was to add salt when the level got low. I didn't see any obvious buttons for "adjusting" it but you never know - maybe there was some way to adjust it. But in the absence of that, I would have to face a critical situation. And all I needed the city to do, was to answer the simple question: "Is the new city water good enough to use 100 percent?" I thought it was a simple question to get answered.
In my first email exchange with the city manager, his first words were "I'm not sure what to tell you." Now, the city can be very clever about this, deftly using words to avoid any suggestion of ambiguity. So the city's letter to the public in January said the new city water is "safe for consumption meeting all Minnesota Department of Health and U.S. EPA requirements." Well, it had better be, or certain parties would get their asses sued. However, the city's statement does not squarely answer the simple question I posed.
Consuming the water is just part of the equation. We must make sure the water running through our homes does not endanger our home systems. I don't think it's propaganda from the water quality companies that a dripping faucet is a common sign of water quality problems. There's a list of such issues. The city advised people feeling confusion to contact a water quality company. These companies do have an objective of course of making money.
We should never assume that a business has untoward intentions. Maybe the water quality person who eventually came to my house was right when he answered me on the question of "Is the new city water good enough to just use." I'm sure those were my words. I wondered if the new city water was sufficient so that it wouldn't require any further treatment, if weighed by a prudent person. The water quality pro immediately responded "no."
Who am I to contradict him? He's a water quality professional. Now, maybe this individual was totally right. I am not going to assert here that he was not. In the nine months since my new device was installed, it looks to me like the level of salt has not gone down at all. Is it possible the device has just sat there doing nothing? Well, maybe not.
I hesitate to pick up the phone because I don't wish to dig this particular hole deeper. Will it cost me more? Perhaps a service visit would cost something. The device does have a five-year warranty. But if I have been using untreated water for the last nine months, what's the point in addressing it now?
My sense seems to be telling me that the new city water is in fact good enough. But why should I ultimately be the one making that judgment, in the absence of firm counsel from others, hopefully others that do not have a profit incentive?
Of course, every time we arrange for a contractor we are dealing with people who have a profit aim. I guess this is the straw the stirs the drink in America. The softener situation is a little different because it was the actions of government - the water treatment plant - that put us in the position of having to deal with the matter. Otherwise I wouldn't devote a speck of thought to my water softener - I'd just check the salt level occasionally and add when needed. It's all I ever had to do in the past, why should I get dragged into a more complicated situation now? Progress isn't supposed to work like this.
I wasn't prepared for this, but I have developed a sense through all the communications to date, that there is a conflict between the City of Morris and the water quality companies. My sense is that the city would LOVE to tell everyone that the new city water is "good to go." Hallelujah. On the other side: the water quality companies who I'm sure have a professional association with very sharp lawyers.
Lawyers: can't live with them. . .
In response, the lawyer for the City of Morris has probably advised city officials not to make a blanket statement asserting that people ought to just have their softeners hauled away.
The city struggles because, no way can they make the statement that the new water is "substandard." And yet this is what the water quality companies are asserting. It was asserted right in my basement. I was not even contrary or difficult! I deferred to the person's judgment and went ahead with getting a new softener. And if I, to date, had seen evidence that it was doing anything, even a minor amount, I'd shrug and be satisfied, even if I might doubt its necessity.
But now I feel hurt and I can't be 100 percent sure where to point fingers. My previous blog writing has sought to give the benefit of the doubt to the water quality companies. I strive to respect contractors or other businesses that come to my property. It has been a pleasure having Western Products, Craig Beyer Tree Service and Mark Woolridge come to my property and do work. My normal nature is to be a pleasant and non-suspicious customer. Does this make me a solid citizen or perhaps someone with some naivete?
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| City Manager Blaine Hill (kmrs-kkok) |
"City Manager Blaine Hill tried to squash rumors." Rumors? Oh my. That's untidy. It suggests we're a bunch of rubes "susceptible to rumors," right?
Perhaps the rumors developed because of news splashed on the newspaper front page that the city "passed a law" to prohibit certain types of softeners. You don't fool with the law, right?
The radio station follow-up piece quoted Hill saying "we don't have a plan right now to go into every property and inspect every water softener."
Maybe what makes my blood boil is the repeated comments from the city that we all can "save money buying salt." So far I have spent about $1500 on the softener and I guess we're all looking at somewhat higher water bills. I rue the day I even put "softener" on my "list of things to do."
I called various other parties through the whole process. Kinetico came and confirmed that our old softener was non-adjustable, but (strangely) did not try to sell a new one. I called Todd Valnes who punted. I exchanged emails with the mayor. Nothing but flailing away.
The only certainty was expressed by the company with the profit incentive. If people all over Morris get persuaded to buy new softeners, it will be a net negative for the community. If I spent $1500 on this, I don't have it available for other things. Oh and Kinetico charged me $100.
It's too bad that maybe I have to become a less trusting person. This is not a joy to weigh. I'd like to happily have contractors come to my property. And if it turns out the city got me burned, well I think it's profoundly sad. Maybe we need a housecleaning with all the people involved with the City of Morris.
Addendum re. rumors:
I remember when Howard Sinker popped into my office one day, about 40 years ago. Holy mackerel, tough to remember all the specifics from something so remote in time. My memory tends to be better than average, so I can relate that the esteemed Mr. Sinker of the Star Tribune was looking for background in connection with the departure of a UMM football coach. He had a long hairstyle back then sort of like "hippies." He was very tall. An image check for him today shows he has totally adjusted with the times.
I'm happy he has had such a long and successful career with the Strib. Prior to Mr. Sinker's visit that day, we had gotten acquainted at a social reception on the eve of an NCAA Division III football playoff game. I believe we "hit it off."
He had sort of a wry smile when he entered my office. And before even saying anything like "hello," he simply said "well, what do you hear?" Gee, do I give people the impression I'm a "person in the know?" Deliberate or not, this must be the case. Let's just say the football coach was not leaving here under circumstances related wholly to whether he used the 3-4 defense enough. Some (shall we say) extraneous factors came into the question.
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| Howard Sinker today |
I told Sinker that I had been pressured by community leaders not to plunge too deeply into this. Which was true. And I do believe Mr. Sinker's subsequent writing reported this. I may have also alluded to "rumors" because I remember Jim Tanner from the steps outside the Post Office, giving me a hard time, as he said "have you heard any 'fresh ones.' "
I think Mr. Tanner could be considered a community leader and he certainly was in the front row with the jockstrap-oriented folks. Ironically I did not consider him to be an advocate for the best ideas in lifting up our athletic programs. I felt he was in tight socially with certain people who were not the most forward-looking.
To be more blunt, as I am wont to do, I'd suggest "good old boy" connections were in effect. I could discuss a large number of Morris people in connection to that.
Sports-oriented people can delude themselves into thinking their world is so important, and that their "buddies" in that world are worth falling on your sword over. We had issues in the '80s that could have been solved easily with some simple judgments from "the top" - should have been small potatoes.
I am amused as I remember Sinker from our conversation at the reception, amused because he was critical of his sports editor, this during an age in which respecting your superior was not considered as essential as today. The movie "Bridge at Remagen" with Robert Vaughan was made in 1970 and it's an historical exhibit on the cynicism and resignation that might be vented toward one's boss. Both the Allied guys and the Nazis regularly "gave lip" to superior officers.
"What's the use? Everybody's crazy."
Maybe during war that's a palatable thought. But in the military?
I remember Sinker saying of the management person in question: "He couldn't manage breakfast." Combine that attitude with his very long hair, and it's a suitable portrait of the folks of around 1980. It was the end of the cynical '70s but social trends don't shift overnight.
The UMM football coach of whom I write was here for one year. Technically he seemed to do well, as we had a playoff game out on the East Coast which I personally attended. I remember it cost $200 and Ron Lindquist made arrangements, with Jim Morrison being lukewarm about it. Two hundred dollars! It seemed like a bigger sum then. I rode with Jim Eidsvold to the airport. Exciting times. Morris history should record that the NCAA Division III playoff games of that era were an extremely big deal for this community. It was prestigious. Scores were reported in the national media.
Our Cougar football team was big-time, if a little arrogant. OK when I say that I'm probably saying "very arrogant." Mr. Sinker would understand. The two of us were cut from the same bolt of cloth.
The non-hippie-looking Howard Sinker of today is digital sports editor at the Star Tribune. He curates the website's Sports Uploaded blog. He is also a senior instructor in Media and Cultural Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul. He is a senior lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at Macalester.
Pushing through the cobwebs of my memory, I believe Howard was the official scorer in a 1987 World Series game in which Roy Smalley was determined to reach on an error rather than a hit. Smalley differed on the judgment. I just remember the item from reading the Strib.
How good is my memory? Let's consider what Mark Twain said: "When I was younger I could remember anything whether it happened or not, but I am getting old and soon I shall remember only the latter."
Seriously, my memories from my Morris newspaper years are a treasure trove. I have told Del Sarlette that a bio of me should be titled "Add Dreams of Glory." It's an expression from the book "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton. Oh, that was a 1970 book that was the epitome of the attitudes I describe from that time.
Quickie news bulletin re. things going on now. The following is from an email from a friend:
No news yet today on COVID re. schools. I heard that the 50 positives attributed to the Apostolics was a great underestimation. But they refuse to be tested, so I don’t know how people know that.
My podcast for September 3
We're into September and many of the issues remain the same as the past few weeks. Sobering issues yes. We need to look around to find joy and there is some. I invite you to click on the permalink below for my "Morris Mojo" podcast episode. Thanks.
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