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August 31, 2004
Treehouse II?
Welch family back, with bond issue!
The continuing saga of the Welch family treehouse in Clinton has
taken an interesting turn, regarding the city issuing bonds for
municipal improvements of all things.
You may recall that the Scot and Mary Welch family built a
treehouse in its yard about seven years ago. The city said it
violated zoning rules and ordered it be torn down or moved. They
have been in court over it ever since, most recently the
Mississippi Supreme Court on Aug. 4.
Now, the family is leading a petition drive to force a vote on
city issuance of $7.75 million in bonds for city improvements.
What was that old saying? No fury like a treehouse family
scorned? Or, something like that. The Clinton family treehouse
saga just gets curiouser and curiouser.
Seriously, cities routinely approve general obligation bonds and
the public should pay attention. This one, if put to a vote, would
probably pass, since most of it is for building a park and
baseball, soccer and softball fields. But these bond issues do
obligate money that could at some point require a tax increase, if
revenue falls below a set amount.
Municipal spending is a serious business. More scrutiny is not
unhealthy. The treehouse still ought to be torn down.
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