To the Editor:
Over the past several weeks, the City of Linn has made a series of decisions regarding Maguire Park that deserve the community’s full attention.
The most recent Board of Aldermen minutes show the City Attorney acknowledging that if the gates remain closed, the City must evaluate ADA‑accessible entry. The Mayor stated the gates will “remain closed for the time being,” citing vandalism, winter usage, and gravel issues —reasons that have shifted repeatedly over the past month. The City also admitted that emergency responders have not consistently had access and that the surveillance system installed at the park cannot reliably read license plates.
These are not small issues. They involve public access, disability rights, emergency response, and the basic expectation that a public park should be open to the public. Yet instead of addressing the underlying problems like fixing the cameras, ensuring emergency access, or creating a lawful ADA‑compliant entrance instead the City has chosen to keep the gates locked and justify it after the fact.
I have done everything one resident can reasonably do: filed Sunshine requests, documented inconsistencies, raised concerns about ADA compliance, and pushed for transparency. But one person cannot carry this alone. If the people of Linn believe their rights, their access, and their public spaces matter, then it is time for more voices to speak up.
This is your town. Your park. Your tax dollars.
Your government. If you want accountability, it will take more than one citizen asking questions. It will take a community willing to stand together and insist on transparency, lawful process, and equal access for everyone.
My part in this is done. I will support anyone who chooses to step forward, but the next steps belong to the people of Linn.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Snyder
Linn,Missouri
