Agenda - Council - 04/25/1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I I I DEAR FRIENDS AND N~IGHBORS, Please allow ~is letter to serve as an introduction. I'm Patrick McLafferty, I have a foster hc~e in Ramsey for 6 children now. We moved here to Ramsey after purchasing the hc~e~~ at 7321 154th Lane last spring. I have been a Poster parent for over 16 years. I've been licensed for regular foster care, as a shelter for emergency placements, for respite and as a treatment foster hc~e. I have been licensed for up to 8 children for many years at my former hcme. I recently was info~d~ by City of Ramsey that I- now must apply for a "special conditional use per~it" in order to be licensed again for up to 8 children instead of the 6 I am now !licensed for in Ramsey. The City, as part of this process, has sent neighbors wi~in 350 feet of our home, notices of this. I received one of the notices myself and ~ooking at it from a neighbors' perspective, I thought it could. be kind of scary s6 I thought perhaps a letter of introduction might be in order along with letting iyou all know, I already have been licensed for 6 for the laswt year here. In essence, w~ are only asking for an increase of only 2 children. The boys and ~ built a large addition on this home last sunnier. Many of you may have heard all!of the hanm~ring and sawing going on. We increased the square footage inside our !hc~e by over 2,000 feet. We did this with the purpose in mind of sharing our hcmel with other needy kids who don't have a home. I was totallyi unaware of all of the special conditions Anoka county and the City of Ramsey wer~ going to impose on us. I did contact both the County and the City before I bega~, this project but neither one came forward with all of these rules and regulations at that time. Only after Committing our lifes savings and all of last s~.~r !to this project and being practically 90% done did these rules ccme to light. Neve~r the less, we are trying our best to accommodate all of the parties involved. I invite any o~f you who might have concerns or worries to please feel free to call us at our hc~ which is 427-9637 or to just drop over and visit us any time. Like I said earlier, we have already been here for almost a year and many of you close neighbors ha~e met most of us already and know us. I am worried that the cold formality of ~e cities letter might worry some people. I also believed it important that eve~one realizes I am not a newcomer to this. I am a professional who has been doing ~it for a long time. I am home here on a full-time basis and am always available. ~ If any of you iwould care to meet myself or my wife and are unable to came by for a visit, pleas~ just call and w~'ll be happy to meet and speak with you. I want everyone ~to b~ comfortable and secure in the knowledge that these children are no different than anyone elses-children except that mine are "borrowed". At t. he n~%ent, 2 of m~ boys are on the Anoka · Highs Honors list,-2 work jobs in the. C~,~,unity and 1 is ~oing to Technical College. I feel sc~ewh~t sad and disappointed with the City of Ramsey singling out foster hc~es and e~en sadder that foster children themselves should be treated in this manner. It's ~ough enough to come from a broken home and have that to deal with. Being singled I out this way hurts. One of my boys asked me, "why aren't other families told they have to go through all of this if they want more children?' It broke my heart not ~o have an answer for him. What would you say? Please call m~ with any questions or comments and I hope I can rely on your support on the nigh~ of Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ramsey City Hall. Thank you ver~ much for your t~ and ~upport. Patrick and Ann McLafferty