Thank you 'Doughnut People'

This letter is in response to Jan Metzmaker's In My View column in the Pilot last week.

Your xenophobic agenda will drive a wedge between the people of Whitefish and, as you called them in your previous letter to the editor, "cockroaches" of the Doughnut. You say that you are tired of "subsidizing city-owned and operated facilities and parks for others' benefit." That is silly because towns and cities build amenities for their citizens' usage and also to attract visitors, who then spend money in the local businesses! You should know this as the executive director of the Whitefish Visitors Bureau. Here are some other facts that you clearly have lost sight of:

1. Yes, the City provided the property for the library, maintains it, pays the utilities and insurance. However, in a typical town or city across America, the city would also have built the library building. In Whitefish the building was paid for by private money, thus keeping Jan's taxes lower. And where did much of that private money come from — the Doughnut people!

2. Yes, the city provides insurance for the O'Shaughnessy Performing Arts Center and possibly some maintenance, BUT the building exists thanks to private donors who raised the entire cost of the building. Jan ignored the fact that the largest donor got to name the building and has a family home in the Doughnut. You tell Ched Lyman he needs a swipe card to watch any performance in the building.

3. Yes, The Wave received $750,000 plus $11,000/year from the city. However, it was given the $7,300,000 building for free by many generous private donors. The chairman of the fundraising committee and several of the largest donors were all from the Doughnut. You tell Dan Weinberg that he is no longer welcome at the Wave!

4. Yes, the city contributed to the new ice rink, but nothing to the building project. Once again, private donors paid 100 percent of the building costs and gave it to the city for free. The chairman of the fundraising and many big donors were from the Doughnut. You tell Murray Craven he's persona non grata at the ice rink.

5. You rail against the Doughnut people because they get to use the facilities! They PAY to exercise at the Wave, they PAY to enjoy the programs in the O'Shaughnessy Center and they PAY to skate at the Ice Rink.

6. You tell John Kramer, who has been a critical leader in every project that you mention, that you would prefer he not be seen in any of them because he lives in the Doughnut.

7. You point out that their property values have skyrocketed and their investments are extremely valuable. Thanks to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) you proudly supported, ask the Waltons how much their land has increased in value. Explain why the Montana courts have ruled that the value has plummeted due to aspects of the CAO. Ask the entire realty community why it has developed a new waiver explaining to all buyers and sellers that, amongst other warnings, Realtors can't even clearly state which governmental unit oversees the Doughnut, due to an impending lawsuit.

You have done a great disservice to a very special group of people who have paved the way in producing all of the great public buildings you enjoy and have made our town of Whitefish one of the great small towns in America. Without the Doughnut residents, none of the buildings mentioned in your column would exist today. Due to your attitudes regarding the Doughnut people and as a fundraiser for a better Whitefish, I'm guessing that I will not see another successful fundraising effort for a public building here for the next 10 years.

My greater concern is that you serve as the executive director of the Whitefish Visitors Bureau, a $40,000/year job paid for by Montana state tax money. You are not the person to be representing and selling Whitefish with your views as to who is welcome to use Whitefish's fine amenities. You also seem to have lost sight of the fact that the Doughnut people are the No. 1 group of visitors to Whitefish, bar none. Ask every business person in Whitefish if he or she would prefer that all the Doughnut people start shopping elsewhere.

Jan, please reread the final sentence of your column and give it some personal thought. It is indeed the answer to the Whitefish city/Whitefish Doughnut controversy. Different people have different thoughts, and listening and understanding where each is coming from leads to better citizens and a better Whitefish. Peace.

Richard Atkinson is a resident of Whitefish.