Tu tu kerfluffle

I did some lobbying to open up some of our empty schools to help the Minnesota Ballet fix and store their storm damaged costumes. As a result I got a mention in this story about their travails.

Call it constituent services on my part. A member of our church who is a friend of the Ballet’s management called to ask me if ISD 709 might have a gym they could use so that they could take their costumes out of the plastic construction bags into which they were thrust a few days after the chimney of the Board of Trade building fell in on their costume storage room. I think I emailed all concerned including the School Board on Thursday night. By Sunday I’d not heard back and when I was told the Ballet was desperate to get started I was a bad boy and put in a second request and also sent the email to the Duluth News Tribune.

That’s sort of like putting a lit match under a sitting person’s toenail. I got an email remonstrating with me for pushing staff on such short notice. Yup. I did. The staff is hunkering down for the busy work of starting a new school year and pretty preoccupied. Had someone simply told me talks had begun I’d have been satisfied and not bothered with a second pushy email. I think this is a pretty easy peasey fix and sure enough Kerry Leider, our soon to retire Facilities Director, was helpfully already on the case.

I may make a motion tonight to offer our help to the Ballet at tonight’s meeting if it becomes obvious that a formal proposal be voted on. I kinda don’t think that should be necessary. Surely all of us on the Board are rooting for the Ballet to get back up on their toe shoes.

Besides, I suggested that they might offer a performance or some other token of their gratitude if we gave them a helping hand. I’m sure we have some break dancers who could use a few pointers on pirouettes.

About the author

Harry is a ferociously good natured eccentric in Duluth Minnesota who detests traitors dressed up as Uncle Sam. You can find somewhat better edited writings of his at the Duluth Reader "contributors." page. The URL is:

https://duluthreader.com/contributors/h/84/284-harry-welty