They have been fighting for a flood diversion ever since the flood of ’97.

That flood wipe out Grand Forks along with the fire.  Because of that flood, the Federal Government bailed them out and built a diversion flood wall.

Does the city of Fargo expect the same things from the Federal Government?

During that flood, the mayor of Grand Forks wasn’t very well prepared for it; so they deserved to be flooded out. It was poor city planning on their part.

The only reason Fargo didn’t get flooded out then was because at the time Dennis Walecker works for the Fargo streets.  He knew what to do to prepare for the flood.  That was why he was the right choice for mayor when he ran.  He will be remembered.

The idea of the Federal Government paying for the diversion, I disagree with.  Why should the Federal Government pay for everything.  That is why we have the debts we have.  North Dakota had a huge surplus because of the oil boom.  What happened to it?  They just sat on it.

The city of Fargo wasn’t hurting themselves either.  They tax property owner through the nose.  They are finally fixing up downtown thanks to Doug Burgum.

The city of Fargo is doing better financially than Moorhead.  All because of better city planning.  I mentioned this before when Moorhead lost out after businesses were allowed to be open on Sunday in North Dakota.

They even voted for special tax votes and still nothing.

If I was in Washington, I would say you got the money, come up with a good plan that will benefit all people not just a few.  The Federal Government will not help.  You weren’t flooded out.

Once again it’s that entitlement thing.  They feel that the Federal Government owes them.  That is not true!

The battle over the flood diversion goes very deep.

Have you ever been down by Oxbow and Hickson?  I have!  Let me say this, “on one side of the road it’s the rich side and the other is the poor side.”  You know which side is which.  It’s seem very strange and comical.

The only reason why Oxbow wanted the flood diversion is because they can get a new club house  and golf course out of it.  They didn’t care what happened to Hickson.  That’s a crying shame!  Where is the justice in that?

Do you know what Jesus would say to them in Oxbow?  You have your rewards.  You’re not willing to think about others who are in the same boat as you.  The people of Hickson deserve protection as well as the people of Oxbow.

As my step-dad would say, “If you build on an old lake bottom, you deserve to be flooded out.”

If you know your history, where the Fargo is, use to be Lake Agazzie.

Just like if you build by a river, expect to be flooded out.  You may think that it may looks very nice.  How is it when it’s floods out?  Not so nice is it?

I understand that the reason for building by the river was because the trade industry.  The city of Fargo had years to prepare from being flooded out.  Yet they done nothing but bicker with one another; in hoping that the Federal Government will finance a flood diversion like they did for Grand Forks.

Now both North Dakota and Minnesota is working together to come up with a workable flood plan.  Both Burgum and Dayton are working together.

Not everyone will be happy though.  You can’t please everyone.

If you build high enough, you will not get flooded.  Down on the farm we were on a hill.  I also remember the summer of ’75.  There was an overland flood in the end of June and the beginning of July.  We were living in West Fargo.  Since we were up higher, we didn’t get flooded.  The entrance way into the trailer court got flooded.

The last few years we have been lucky.  We haven’t got too much snow.  So now is the time to think of getting a diversion built to protect ourselves for the next great flood.

I’m not saying that we should go to the extreme of Noah in Genesis and build an ark.

As the Oak Ridge Boys sang, “It’s going to take a lot of river to wash away.”

If you are going to build on a lake bottom or by a river, you must be prepared to be flooded out. Or else you must finds ways to protect yourself, so that don’t happen.

In the flood of ’97, I was working at the Fargo Country Club and I helped sandbag .