To the editor:

Greg Orear, publisher of The Journal: I hope you enjoy your stay in the City of New Ulm. Unfortunately I think you haven’t made it easy for community acceptance with several comments you have publicly announced since your arrival. My primary concern was your statement on the employees having to take time off to run out to move their cars so they don’t get tagged and then you ragged about the parking policy in downtown New Ulm.

For your information and others not aware of history and parking policies within the downtown area: 1) We used to have parking meters which proved to be detrimental to the downtown businesses. 2) A committee (of which I was part) was formed to provide a solution to the parking nightmare. 3) The solution was a compromise of many good ideas from the various businesses in New Ulm 4) The main solution was that the downtown property owners would (and continue to) pay for the parking through assessments on their properties.

5) The free parking was provided for customer parking, not employee parking. 6) As a business and property owner, I have no problem with an employee while at work occasionally parking but am deeply disturbed by continuously stealing customer parking whose support provide the profit their employer makes in order to pay their salary!

My advice to you is to become properly informed before you start ragging about policies set by the people of New Ulm.

Tate Stillwell

New Ulm