[Vision2020] Jack Hill and citizen empowerment

[Saundra Lund]

Thanks, Mr. Hansen, for posting the article!

Hmmm . . . I have to completely disagree with Mr. Hill's comments about
this listserve, which I truly appreciate (even though I often disagree
with views expressed), especially since I've been traveling too much
recently.  I try to check online versions of the local papers, but I
find this listserve very helpful in helping make me aware of current
local issues when I'm away from home, particularly with the upcoming
election.  Sure, there's some chaff with the wheat, but I'm intelligent
enough to sort things out for myself and to look further for more
information.

What I found particularly interesting was a comparison & contrast of Mr.
Hill's views as expressed in the LMT article and his answers to the
Moscow Vision 2020 candidates questionnaire.  BTW, I strongly suggest
that all check out the candidates answers to help make informed voting
choices in the upcoming election . . . 19 days & counting, I believe.
You can find the questions & answers at:
http://vision2020.moscow.com/Election/

Compare this from the LMT article:
"City Councilman Jack Hill scolded residents here Wednesday for being
intolerant to differing political views and blamed newspapers and the
local Vision 2020 Internet chat room network for fueling the
polarization.  "It's a serious impediment to progress," Hill said . . .
"In this town we have self-proclaimed cliques," Hill said during
introductory comments that had his voice cracking with emotion. "They're
not in power, so they empower themselves."
to the following from the Vision 2020 candidates questionnaire:
"As a current council member, I am very accessible. I talk to people and
they certainly talk to me. I listen to what they have to say. I am
contacted by phone and by e-mail with concerns, questions, and opinions.
Presently, we involve and invite the public to come to council and other
public meetings. Public notices, press releases, phone, e-mail and a
website are not enough for many people. Others are apathetic or have
distrust toward government."
http://vision2020.moscow.com/Election/default.asp?Action=ShowOneCandidat
e&CandidateID=97
OR
http://tinyurl.com/r77c

Hmmm . . . I could write a whole essay on the comparison and contrast,
but I guess I'll confine my comment here to just one or two:  perhaps
citizens aren't so distrustful of government in general but rather of
those ELECTED to serve them who seem to have forgotten who it is they
actually work for.  Imagine democracy being a participatory process with
conflicting views!  It seems to me that Mr. Hill would be more
comfortable serving in an elitist benevolent dictatorship, which is
definitely NOT what I want for my community.

As for Mr. Hill's claim to listen to what community members have to say,
I can't help but wonder about the veracity of his claim.  I certainly
wonder if he bothers to consider to the comments made here since he's
chosen to insult this forum, and therefore the individuals (all 500+/-)
who make up this resource ("the blind leading the blind").  

I can't WAIT for the election!


Saundra Lund
Moscow, Idaho

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to
do nothing.
Edmund Burke

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Thomas Hansen
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 10:31 AM
To: 'Dale Courtney'; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Jack Hill and citizen empowerment


I copied and pasted this article below for those who are not subscribed
to
the Lewiston Morning Tribune (Online edition)


MOSCOW -- City Councilman Jack Hill scolded residents here Wednesday for
being intolerant to differing political views and blamed newspapers and
the
local Vision 2020 Internet chat room network for fueling the
polarization. 

"It's a serious impediment to progress," Hill said after he and the nine
other candidates vying for four seats on the council attended a noon
forum
sponsored by the Moscow Chamber of Commerce. 

"In this town we have self-proclaimed cliques," Hill said during
introductory comments that had his voice cracking with emotion. "They're
not
in power, so they empower themselves." 

Hill told the Lewiston Tribune following the forum that he thinks
government
should be a catalyst for bringing people together. He said he champions
free
speech but labeled Vision 2020 as "the blind leading the blind" with a
melee
of negative words. 

Hill said newspapers also tend to let negativism drift from editorial
pages,
where it has a place, to the news pages, where it doesn't have a place.
He
said he's concerned that a small number of vocal Moscow residents are
exhibiting the kind of "impoliteness" he fears is sweeping the nation. 

"We are the city with a smile, so lets get the smile back." 

None of the other nine candidates attending the forum responded to
Hill's
comments. They instead used their three-minute introductory speeches to
tell
an audience of about 50 people how they would approach the job. 

"I'm not going to sit here and BS you," said Dan Carscallen, secretary
of
the North Latah County Highway District and perhaps the most blunt of
the 10
candidates. "If you agree with me, I guess you'll vote for me. If you
don't,
I guess you won't." 

Hill, a retired Moscow School District superintendent, and Steve Busch
of
Busch Distributors of Moscow are the only two incumbents seeking
reelection.


Busch is running for the single two-year seat up for election against
challengers Michael Weaver, a mine safety specialist at the University
of
Idaho, and Nancy Chaney, a self-employed businesswoman. 

Hill, seeking one of three four-year posts on the council, is vying
against
Carscallen; Moscow attorney Linda Pall, who served a total of 14 years
on
the council previously; John Dickinson, a retired UI professor of
computer
science; Evan Holmes, a carpenter and member of the city zoning board of
adjustment; Jerry Schutz, a downtown marketing coordinator for the Latah
County Economic Development Council; and Brett Jasper, a local
businessman. 

"I love this town like everyone else here," said Jasper, who missed a
Monday
night forum. He said his experience, especially as president of the
Moscow
Downtown Association for one year in the mid 1980s, has taught him how
to
recognize potentially bad decisions and make good ones. "This is an
opportunity to put some of that in practice," he said. 

Jasper was the only candidate to oppose the proposed widening of U.S.
Highway 95 south of Moscow, contending that traffic problems didn't
warrant
the expense. The other nine candidates reaffirmed their stances from the
earlier forum, saying they favored the construction, although they may
have
differing ideas of where a new corridor might be located. 

The candidates also weighed in on the issue of consolidating 911
emergency
dispatch service on the Palouse. All favored the concept, with varying
ideas
about how Moscow, Latah County and neighboring Whitman County might
combine
services. 

Once again, the future of the 1912 Building (the former Moscow High
School)
became part of the forum question-and-answer session. Hill said his
office
used to be in the building, and he favored continued efforts to fully
utilize the 20,000 square feet of currently vacant space, but not
necessarily with tax dollars. 

Schutz said the future of the 1912 building should hinge on housing more
nonprofit organizations that qualify for grants and other funding
sources.
Carscallen favored attracting small businesses into the building. 

Dickinson said the building lacks a community vision and said the city
should take a leadership role in that area. Holmes said the future of
the
building "begs for an advisory vote" from citizens. Jasper said the
building
might work well as a business incubator and a place where children could
have computer access. Pall said a vision for the building would best
come
from a nonprofit organization geared to such ideas. 

Chaney said the third floor of the building might be used for city,
county
and nonprofit organization office space. Busch said he favors continued
development of the building, but said he's reluctant to take the city
any
deeper into debt. Weaver agreed that taxpayers should not be saddled
with
additional 1912 costs. 

The city bought the old building from the Moscow School District nearly
a
decade ago for $150,000. 

A question about water concerns in the city triggered a strong response
from
Busch. "Don't let anyone tell you we have a water shortage problem," he
said. "We have a water management problem." Weaver said he favored
discouraging waste by increased fees for those using the most water.
Chaney
said residents should not panic, but be pro-active and prepare for
future
water needs. Schutz called for a water management plan involving Moscow,
Pullman, and Latah and Whitman Counties.