Congratulations to the City Council on a very astute choice. We want the best for Cedar Rapids and it sounds like we've found him. Very exciting.

This is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity for our small city to implement plans that will transform us, helping us realize some of our dreams, creating jobs, and a better quality of life for citizens. Out of the destruction of the flood is a chance to rebuild a stronger Cedar Rapids. We should embrace this opportunity, instead of finding fault with it.

Alliant's need for a new substation to serve downtown and industrial sites such as Penford and Cargill is well recognized. However, placing an acre power plant in the middle of a quickly developing neighborhood will discourage investment and further development. The article reports that Alliant has met with the Czech Village/New Bohemia Main Street District but it does not tell us how the group reacted to the Alliant plan. Main Street, a coordinated initiative for community revitalization, has a goal of economic improvement within the context of historic preservation. Winning the Main Street designation for Czech Village and New Bohemia was an achievement for the City. Certainly, an alternative spot (South of 14th Avenue near Cargill?) can be found.