Campus Apartments at Ripon College ready for new school year

where did my post from a few days ago go regarding these community unfriendly campus apartments go?

The reason these two students' application to live in these campus apartments was approved in the 12th hour was because the college is having a hard time filing the apartments up. Almost 2.5 million on a community unfriendly building, with little parking to accomodate it, and students just weren't lining up to live there! Hey Ripon College...oops!

"Community unfriendly"? Please elaborate, because I think the building is beautiful and a great new asset for Ripon College.

I too believe the apartments are gorgeous. I tell you what sucks is the crappy looking houses across the street. Someone in the white house needs to mow their yard. Maybe I should appear before the city council and ask the council to approve an ordinace that would require citizens to keep their yards up to a reasonable standard of appearance. Maybe the college could pay for some trees to be planted around this white house so that no one would have to look at it.

I did not say the new dorm was not nice looking. However, there was no parking allotted for the students living in this new dorm, and they are now scrambling for spots on the neighborhood streets. And, the bright light in the dorm's multi-level stairwell are offensive to me across the street. There should have been landscaping put up so that my neighbors and I were shielded from what the college thinks is pretty or even tolerable.

As far as the white house across the street. Are you talking about my house or the little white house next to mine? You have NO idea the reasons why lawns do or do not get mowed regularly. Crappy looking houses? You no nothing about what you are commenting on. You sound like an ignorant youth, passing judgment on adults 20 years older than you that you know nothing about.

As far as the houses on the south side of Thorne...we were here LONG before the new college dorm was!

Student blow into this town for 4 years, just to get an education, and then blow back out of this little town. I live here, pay taxes to live here, and raise my family here. Again, you don't know what you are talking about.

Astonished wrote:

"Community unfriendly"? Please elaborate, because I think the building is beautiful and a great new asset for Ripon College.

Ask the residents of Ripon, taxpayers, people who don't live on campus, not students, etc. if this building is community friendly, or if they think the college has been even the slightest good neighbor. In the last year, Ripon College has behaved extremely community unfriendly, and our own city council has been its accomplice. Nice.

Students are so busy whining about the distance they have to walk on campus, maybe they don't realize that the college does not appear to be looking out for the students' or the residents' best interests. Did it ever occur to you that college is pitting the residents and the students against each other? The college is pitting the city and its own residents against each other?

Everyone is fighting over parking bans and the parking problems on our public streets; merely tinkering with the symptoms. The primary cause of all these problems is the college's refusal to build ample parking spaces in effective locations for the students to benefit from. The college took out a 120-space parking lot that, existed at the corner of Thorne and Woodside, and replaced it with a rinky-dink 40-space parking lot on Thorne. There's a parcel of land in between the new dorm and the parking lot to the west of it; that parcel of land could house another 40 parking spaces for students. But, the college needs to market itself as the college with the most green space. How did that help the students park in the area they want/need to park in? Oh, but the college built an 80-space parking lot on Union. Then why is that parking lot RARELY ever full or even half full, and why are the students STILL parking all over the neighborhood streets? BECAUSE the students don't want to park down on Union; away from their classes and their dorms, and that should've been apparent to the college before they even started building the lots; it was obvious to the rest of us. The college isn't helping any of us!

That new dorm doesn't look like it should even have been built on that corner, because of drainage. It's at least 4 feet lower than street level. The dorm and a large parking lot should've been built on Union, or even built on Thorne where the 40-space parking lot is (on the hill). But, the college had to have THE CORNER, for appearances; an emblem of sorts. Form over function, I guess. Someone will pay the price for that; the students?

In my opinion, the college is building a house of cards. Houses of cards eventually implode in on themselves. Why doesn't the college take better care of its teaching staff and employees? Why doesn't the college dump some money into it's sorely outdated library? Why has the college spent so much money putting in offensive, white lights that are ontop of each other? Overkill? Needless expense? Ugly? These lights were not necessitated by any crime, violence, etc. here in good ole' Ripon. Just questions, folks.

Look more closely and ask more questions. There's a bigger picture, here.

As far as my posts here, I've gotten a few comments haven't I? Someone had to start the lines of communication between students and residents, and work on improving the communication. Gosh knows, our city and the college have done a HORRIBLE job of advocating and representing residents' and students' best interests.

Curious wrote:

I too believe the apartments are gorgeous. I tell you what sucks is the crappy looking houses across the street. Someone in the white house needs to mow their yard. Maybe I should appear before the city council and ask the council to approve an ordinace that would require citizens to keep their yards up to a reasonable standard of appearance. Maybe the college could pay for some trees to be planted around this white house so that no one would have to look at it.

When you get out in the real world, I really hope that you meet with success; truly, I do. And, if you don't? Maybe you'll understand more why people do the best that they can. BTW, these houses on the south side of Thorne are all at least 100 years old (that little white house, though, is the youngest). LOTS of money fixing them up and restoring them, while we raise and care for our families, pay bills, buy clothes, buy food, gas, insurance, etc.

These houses may look offensive to you, but your lack of compassion or insight is what offends me. Our hearts are made of gold; what are yours made of?

One day, you'll be one of "us" and you won't be so ignorant about things you couldn't have known about while you were still in school (but, were young enough to still think you had all the answers).

Michelle,

Do you have ANY idea of the economic impact (positively) that the college has in this community? Yes, students "blow" into town for four years "just" to get an education (that is what a college is for, isn't it?). They are receiving on of the finest educations in the country. Just check out the literature that ranks and rates colleges.

That means there are 1000 students spending money locally that they and/or their parents earned somewhere else. Do you think Ripon could support all the businesses it does without the money the students spend?

How about the fact that there are well over 150 Ripon College faculty and staff that live in Ripon BECAUSE the college is here. They wouldn't be living here, spending money here, paying TAXES hereetc. if the college weren't here. Ripon College is not the largest employer in town, but they may be the largest employer of Ripon RESIDENCES. Without Ripon College, Ripon would just be Berlin.

If you don't like it, MOVE!

I hope the students are getting a fine education. Who's educating them? The teachers! Maybe the college better take care better care of the teachers and its faculty!

I am not saying it is wrong for a student to want a great experience while they are here for years. I am saying it is WRONG to give the college rights precedence over the residents who LIVE here all year around, for years. It is the taxpayers that feel the consequences of what goes on in Ripon; and the homeowners' livelihood is JUST as valuable to them as the college's is to it. One doesn't have to hurt someone else to be happy!

Ripon College employs alot of Ripon residents. Some of these residents DO NOT agree with the way the college is reigning over the residents. But, who's to really know when so many residents/RC employees are intimidated by the college and afraid of discrimination or repercussion.

Why should I move!? From the time I moved here, I have every right to love where I am at and fight for its survival, its balance, and its harmony. Do you live on the outskirts of campus like a moth caught in a headlight?

Do onto others as you would have them do onto you! This would NOT be allowed to happen if it were in David Joyce's backyard or in the backyards of the mayor, members of the Plan Commission, or common council members. But, they don't want me to be upset and speak up about it? The rules just keep changing as the college and the city see fit.

Pull your shades down. The lights from the campus apartments stairwell don't shine in your house as much as the street lights that have been there since long before you graced our community.

How would YOU know?!?!?!? The street light from outside my house is soft yellow. It only comes down through my door and shines on a small square just inside the door. The lights from the stairwell are white and very bright; they shine right through to the back of my house. My kids sleep in those front bedrooms, and they have both complained. I've slept in both of those bedrooms, and my kid have every right to complian. How would you know any different than what I've tried to explain? You don't know the truth about this situation; and since you don't care, you'll never know the truth.

Don't tell me to pull my shades down. I shouldn't have to deal with this unreasonable light pollution. It is UNREASONABLE! My house was here long before that new dorm was, and my living space should have been given much, much more consideration. My neighbors and I were intentionally not asked for our opinions or input. And you think this sort of bad behavior from the college or the city does not effect you; just wait. This sort of arrogance and inconsideration will hit your neighborhood one day, or maybe just your wallets.

Street lights have been here long before I graced your community? I have never complained about the street lights. Another fine example of trying to kill the messenger and confuse the issue with ignorant assumptions; instead of focusing on the facts. Typical.

It seems to me that you have made several "ignorant assumptions" in your postings about Ingalls Field. You have presented no facts, just "word on the street" and bias opinion.

I said word on the street because it is hearsay, not fact. I haven't made any assumptions about turf grass, and I have told people several times that I am not an expert. I've had ignorant assumptions thrown at me, though; for the last year. There are always at least two sides to an issue, but I LIVE on one of the sides. Some people in this town are making decisions without knowing enough about either side, but claiming they know what is best for Ripon; that's arrogance.

RCsupporter wrote:

Ms.Perr seems to have difficulty that RC students are citizens of Ripon as well and can even vote. She believes her rights are more important than the students. How wrong she is. We will continue to demand that she respects our rights as well and her continued denigration of College students will only hurt her in the long run.
CAN't we all just get along?

WHEN have I ever said that my rights are more important than the rights of college students? When? Never! My denigration of college students? When! Never! Maybe college students are getting all defensive because they are not being left alone to disrespect residents without consequence.

Keep listening to the college, they'll do nothing more than continue to be a bad neighbor, mislead students, and pit us all agianst each other. Keep us all chasing our tails while the really dirty stuff is going on behind closed doors. I'm not imagining anything; just trying to figure out all the illogic.

When have I ever disrespected college students? When have my neighbors disrespected college students? Youth is wasted on the young.

RCsupporter wrote:

CAN't we all just get along?

I'd like to get along. I believe in understanding, compromise, and going out of our way to care for one another. What I do not believe in is unecessary sacrifice and being treated like I have no matter or say. And...childishly insulted. Gee, gang up on me because I speak out about the same things anyone else would if it were their home life being disrespected; but, don't pick up on the rudeness and insults from other post-ers toward me. Nice.

I see alot of energy going into attacking me, but I don't see anyone addressing my questions about the dirty dealings going on in this town, or the facts about the grasses.

There are 2 informational booklets, sent to me from UW/Madison's O.J. Nauer Turf Grass Research Facility, for anyone to read the facts for themselves. This is one of the best research facilities in the nation, and they only state the facts. They do not take sides and state that each community must decide what is best for them, regarding natural and artificial grass.

The book is being touted by some in this town as being "slanted". That's not true. The book just state facts that the turf grass "people" in this town don't want you to know.

Does anyone know how the turf committee is going to pay the city or loan back for the turf after it is put in? Is the school taxpayer or the city taxpayer become liable if the loan is not paid off in time? Why is this not being addressed by the Newspaper in Ripon?

Guess my connect is in TX, but I am in Ripon. How interesting is that!

That's a REALLY good question, Fried, and I too am worried. What is the collateral behind the Letter of Credit given by the bank? Is there some "special" insurance policy being written up through Johnson Insurance, giving Johnson Insurance assurance that the loan will be paid off? Who'll be paying for any insurance policy?

What time frame does the fundraising committee have for paying it off? Maybe the fundraising team is not taking out the loan; someone else is? The investors from Milwaukee? We just don't know what is going on and WHY are city is being gambled with at such high stakes!

The city has told me that they will not sign anything that makes the taxpayers liable for one penny, and that they have signed these sort of deals for others such as Ripon Medical, Creative Forming, etc. THOSE are businesses. The fundraising committee for artificial grass is not. SOMEBODY is the business that has the collaterol, that the city is co-signing a loan from. Who is the primary signor?

I'm being told that the $162,000 loan the school will be taking out will be paid off with the money saved from the installation/maintenance from this "magic carpet", turf grass. Another pipe dream? I'm also being told that these investors will be paying RC's $250,000 contribution of the artificial turf grass.

And, Ripon Mainstreet, Inc. is implying that resident should not fear the mysterious intentions of these mysterious investors? I keep hearing Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" in my head over all of this. Me thinks these investors are becoming less and less mysterious.
The reason this all makes no sense to residents is that all the honest facts are not being given to us, and the real truth is being bured REALLY deep by alot of hands. What a nightmare this is all turning out to be! And, who do you think is the bogeyman? Who are the cronies, "the boogers"?

From my understanding of the situation, taxpayers are not responsible at all. If the committee were to not pay the loan, it all falls back on Johnson Financial, which was clearly stated by Cris Johnson at the council meeting last Monday.

As for how they are paying, first off the city was only used to get the 4% interest rate (which is something used by many other entities in the city of Ripon, not just for this situation only)- they are paying Johnson Financial. The money is coming from fundrasing efforts (like the GTO giveaway)

And actually, it's not technically a loan. Johnson Financial issued a line of credit to the committee to obtain the turf. Hence the reason if the committee were to default, it would go solely on the shoulders Johnson Financial.

Now, in the same respect - the only thing I am not fully sure of is if the committee has some payment dedicated to the city (for helping them obtain the loan at the low interest rate). I am not going to speculate either way, since I do not know for sure.