[Vision2020] Jack Hill's comments
Jon Kimberling
jon@n-k-ins.com
Fri, 17 Oct 2003 16:52:32 -0700
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I attended the Chamber Candidates Forum and had the opportunity to hear =
Jack and all the other candidates speak. My interpretation of Jack's =
comments were an attempt to reach out to the community. Yes- he was =
direct and it seems that his comments hit a nerve with certain members =
of the community. Having the perspective of a fellow councilman, I can =
tell you that I share his opinion that some v2020 contributors are quick =
to put the most negative spin they can on city council decisions. These =
anti-city opinions are often formed without ever contacting a city =
council or staff member, without reading reports and materials available =
from the city and with sole reliance on what is written in the paper.=20
I could site numerous examples but will limit myself to one. Bill =
London, using someone else's words, recently created "a tempest in a =
teapot" about the city decision not to disclose certain information =
about employee vacations. The criticism was leveled at the council when =
it wasn't even a council decision. City Supervisor Gary Riedner, in =
response to this, promptly got permission from the affected staff to =
disclose the information. An editorial response appeared in the paper. =
Anyone, including Bill, who would have asked a few questions would have =
learned that in the years Randy Fife has been the City Attorney he has =
honored about 99% of the requests that he receives for information, that =
he was misquoted in the paper about "trade secrets", that both the City =
of Lewiston and Latah County gave the Daily News the same response, that =
is that the Idaho Public Records Law protects certain information and =
they would not disclose it. Bill's response to this on v2020 after the =
City set the record straight- not one word. Where is the balance?
If I have a concern, I like to go directly to the person involved and =
ask them the basis for their opinion. I have contacted several v2020 =
subscribers and made this personal request of them. I appreciate the =
people who have taken the time to contact me and ask questions and just =
as important- let me know their opinion. I believe this method of =
communiciation is a more effective way to have a healthy dialogue then =
immediately blasting the person you have already concluded is incapable =
of making a decision you can agree with.=20
I share Jack's frustration because our critics(whether they are on =
v2020, local editorial writers or from any other source) often don't =
offer any suggestion as to what decision they would have had us make. If =
you have the will to help, you have the right to criticize- was that =
quote from Lincoln?
I respect Jack Hill for a number of reasons. One is his willingness to =
speak up as he did Wednesday. However, that is no basis for concluding =
that Jack is not open to hearing your opinion. He and I have had =
countless discussions about various City issues and he always looks at =
both sides, even when community opinion and his differ.
My hope is that we will all support the newly elected council, that we =
will agree to disagree agreeably and that community members who have =
issues will hold themselves to the same standard they hold their City =
Council.=20
When it comes to the City of Moscow, I don't ever want to agree with one =
of Yogi Berra's quotes- the future ain't what it used to be.
Jon Kimberling
Current Moscow City Councilman
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I attended the Chamber Candidates Forum =
and had the=20
opportunity to hear Jack and all the other candidates speak. My =
interpretation=20
of Jack's comments were an attempt to reach out to the community. Yes- =
he was=20
direct and it seems that his comments hit a nerve with certain members =
of the=20
community. Having the perspective of a fellow councilman, I can tell you =
that I=20
share his opinion that some v2020 contributors are quick to put the most =
negative spin they can on city council decisions. These anti-city =
opinions are=20
often formed without ever contacting a city council or staff member, =
without=20
reading reports and materials available from the city and with sole =
reliance on=20
what is written in the paper. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I could site numerous examples but will =
limit=20
myself to one. Bill London, using someone else's words, recently created =
"a=20
tempest in a teapot" about the city decision not to disclose certain =
information=20
about employee vacations. The criticism was leveled at the council when =
it=20
wasn't even a council decision. City Supervisor Gary Riedner, in =
response to=20
this, promptly got permission from the affected staff to disclose the=20
information. An editorial response appeared in the paper. Anyone, =
including=20
Bill, who would have asked a few questions would have learned that in =
the years=20
Randy Fife has been the City Attorney he has honored about 99% of the =
requests=20
that he receives for information, that he was misquoted in the paper =
about=20
"trade secrets", that both the City of Lewiston and Latah County gave =
the Daily=20
News the same response, that is that the Idaho Public Records Law =
protects=20
certain information and they would not disclose it. Bill's response to =
this on=20
v2020 after the City set the record straight- not one word. Where =
is the=20
balance?<BR></FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If I have a concern, I like to go =
directly to the=20
person involved and ask them the basis for their opinion. I have =
contacted=20
several v2020 subscribers and made this personal request of them. I =
appreciate=20
the people who have taken the time to contact me and ask questions and =
just as=20
important- let me know their opinion. I believe this method of =
communiciation is=20
a more effective way to have a healthy dialogue then immediately =
blasting=20
the person you have already concluded is incapable of making a decision =
you can=20
agree with. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I share Jack's frustration because our=20
critics(whether they are on v2020, local editorial writers or from =
any=20
other source) often don't offer any suggestion as to =
what decision=20
they would have had us make. If you have the will to help, you have the =
right to=20
criticize- was that quote from Lincoln?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2><FONT>I respect Jack Hill for a =
number of=20
reasons. One is his willingness to speak up as he did Wednesday. =
However, that=20
is no basis for concluding that Jack is not open to hearing your=20
opinion. He and I have had countless discussions about various =
City=20
issues and he always looks at both sides, even when community opinion =
and his=20
differ.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>My hope is that we will all support the =
newly=20
elected council, that we will agree to disagree agreeably and that =
community=20
members who have issues will hold themselves to the same standard =
they hold=20
their City Council. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When it comes to the City of Moscow, =
I don't=20
ever want to agree with one of Yogi Berra's quotes- the future =
ain't what=20
it used to be.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jon Kimberling</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Current Moscow City=20
Councilman</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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