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OEM I From: AMMEEMPNEUP Sent Thursday, July 10, 2003 5:31 PM ro ■ CIty. L ® r a Subject: T * elc signs Roseville, MN 55113 July 9, 2003 Mayor John Kars yl yczyn Craig Klausing, Council Member Tom Kough, Council Member Dean Maschka, Council Member Greg Schroeder, Council Member Dear Sirs; On July 21st, the Roseville City Council will further consider a proposal to erect "Welcome to Roseville'? signs on t lie corridors leading in to our city. These signs are to be subsidized, in part, by donations or fees from civic groups. The Lions Club and the VFW have been identified as possible sponsors I urge the Council to reject the proposal on three grounds. First, the proposed entry signs are a legitimate responsibility of our city government and the costs would not be a burden on the budget. Next, there are many fine organizations that bring credit to our community, and Roseville Should not discriminate among them. If they are will to pay the fee, and are legitimate non- profit organizations, they should have the opportunity to participate. While I believe the Lions Club and the V.F,W., to be fine organizations that have made manor contributions to our community, Roseville cannot discriminate among the many other civic, service, educational or cultural organizations that exist. such sponsorship should be open to all groups. Finally, as the process must be open to all non- profit organizations, there are many that would grant to participate, but whose functions and opinions are not shared by the majority of citizens, and could bring discredit to Roseville. Council should give due consideration to recent events in Missouri. There, the state solicited support for their Adopt -A- Highway program. For a fee and a commi trhent to keep a section of roadway clean, the name of the participating organization was pasted on the highway signs. A local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan demanded the right to participate, and though opposed by community and government alike, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately upheld their right of participation. Now, a section of road near St. Louis `honors" the Ilan for their sponsorship. Although I would welcome the proposal to erect "Welcome to Roseville" signs on the entry corridors, I urge the Council to reject the proposal to subsidize the casts by honoring nor- profit groups. While it is commendable for Roseville to recognize such organizations in our community, the potential to untoward consequences is too great. Respectfully, Kent S. Kokko