Sharp Thinking Leaders Bring New Life to the DIDA

"But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." -- Carl Sagan

EDITORIAL - Friday, August 29, 2008 - Did you ever wonder how City officials dream up the hair-brained ideas they do? Recently, Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) Chairman George Goerig (pictured above left) fought tooth and nail to move the DIDA meetings to eight o'clock in the morning stating that the earlier time would make the meetings more productive.

DIDA Vice-Chairman Joe Karius (pictured above right) agreed wholeheartedly that the noon meetings weren't productive, and that an earlier meeting time would make it easier for downtown business people to voice their opinions and concerns to the DIDA.

At a recent Town Hall meeting, Goerig told those in attendance that the $15,000 Blueprint program was necessary because he had "run out of ideas!" He went on to urge business owners to attend the DIDA meetings so he can listen to their concerns and act on them.

Joe Karius attended a Blueprints seminar in Marquette where the "experts" explained that they will help the City of Ironwood come up with new ways to improve the downtown business district -- like installing wayfinder signs. This is an idea this reporter originally suggested to the DIDA only to have Karius shut me up in the middle of my presentation.

The experts also told Karius that a building inventory is essential in order to begin redevelopment of the City's downtown. This idea was presented on the very first day Eva-Smith Furgason attended a meeting. Karius failed to see any value to the idea.

Virtually every idea the Blueprints "experts" suggested at their seminar was previously mentioned at a DIDA meeting... many times by Steve Frank, Eva Smith-Furgason, or myself, but somehow Karius disregarded them as not having merit.

By the way, obviously Karius must have been napping at the Marquette Blueprints meeting as well. Upon his return, he told the DIDA that the TOTAL cost of the Blueprints program to the City would be $7,500 NOT the $15,000 it actually was. 

Ironically, Chairman Goerig had the removal of Smith-Furgason on yesterday's DIDA agenda. He claimed she was not productive to the DIDA because she recently missed a couple of meetings. I don't know, maybe it's me... but I fail to see how missing a meeting is any worse than sleeping through one! Obviously the DIDA activities are too taxing for the Authority's leadership.

When John Quincy Adams said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more... you are a leader." I don't think he meant snoring was to be your inspiration.