To the Editor:

I am an outsider to the Webster City community. I settled here two years ago, bought a house and got married here. I have much respect and love for this community and all those in it. What made me stick around this area, for the most part, is the scenery and recreation surrounding Webster City – particularly, Briggs Woods County Park. I found it to be so peaceful and beautiful my wife and I agreed to get married there.

I have concerns over the Crime Stoppers signs being put up at the beautiful Briggs Woods County Park. In my opinion, these are a misappropriation of funds and a degradation to the beauty of Briggs Woods County Park itself. These signs will do nothing more than instill an unnecessary fear in visitors. Briggs Woods County Park is, in many ways, the face of the Boone Valley Community, to visitors. We do not want to direct fear and uncertainty to anyone, and that is what these signs will do.

I have much respect for the initiative the Crimestopper’s group is doing for our community. I also understand the general purpose of placing these Crime-stoppers signs was to promote security and safety. However, as stated before, these create unneccesary fear and uncertainty in visitors, and will end up being a deterrent to tourism while having the minimalist effect on crime itself.

This is a bad idea with good intentions. With parks in town having low grade facilities for children’s play and some also facing neglect, to spend grant funds on placing Crimestoppers signs at Briggs Woods is a giant misappropriation of funds. It would be nice to see the funds go where they truly need to go.

Brandon Propes

Webster City