[Vision2020] The Future

Wed Jul 6 08:02:11 PDT 2005

Mark, I wish you well on your sabbatical, and hope you return with renewed 
enthusiasm for the Palouse.  One interesting thing about small college towns 
like Moscow is the transient nature of the population.  There aren't too 
many of us "lifers" around, it seems.  My memories of this town stretch back 
to the 1950s, and our family has been entrenched on the Palouse since 1884.  
I've heard stories from older family members of truly hard times here.  
Times that they, and Moscow survived.  As you noted regarding current 
circumstances, "the winds will change".  You've referred previously to the 
town going through a "teenage" phase, if I remember correctly.  Perhaps 
that's true.  Puberty isn't easy.  I have to be optimistic about this place 
where my roots are so deep, and this town that I love (sometimes, as in any 
relationship, I love to hate it), and believe this too shall pass.  Are 
there a myriad of difficulties facing Moscow and the University of Idaho?  
Yes.  But this is too special a place.  We'll work through this, and I can't 
personally imagine living anywhere else.                                     

              Carl Westberg Jr.

>From: "Mark Seman" <FCS at Moscow.com>
>To: "Chris Storhok" <cstorhok at co.fairbanks.ak.us>, <vision2020 at Moscow.com>
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Future
>Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 00:55:08 -0700
>
>Chris,
>There are so many complex reasons for my needing to take a sabbatical from
>the Palouse and I won't be able to fully explain.  Economics are a small
>part, even though we are on track to have our best year for gross receipts,
>too many people want something for nothing.  A larger aspect is the level 
>of
>quality desired by this region has always been lacking.  It takes a certain
>level of sophistication for clients to understand that as designers we are
>not producers of blueprints.  Our product is the built environment and 
>there
>are very significant quality issues that we bring to projects.  Too often I
>hear laments about area development, but correspondingly little effort is
>ever expended towards providing better.
>
>Another significant part, is living in the middle of the "Hearth of the
>Arts."  I have too little time in my life to remain creatively suppressed.
>I need to live where I can produce quality work, and until the Palouse
>becomes sophisticated enough to recognize and value quality, there are 
>other
>places where I can do better.  My work is not an art that hangs on a wall,
>it is an art to be experienced and lived in.  I want my work to be art, but
>I cannot do that - the time is not here, not now.
>
>This areas' anti-business, anti-art, anti-development, anti-commerce,
>anti-productive mentality is heavily entrenched throughout multiple
>channels.  You have a much greater appreciation for LEDC than I.  I more
>often see businesses, Universities, governmental entities, civic groups, 
>and
>citizens being a problem source than a problem solution.  Because of my
>persistent negative perceptions, I feel I need a vacation.  And it's not
>going to be just for a couple of weeks.  What I need is an extended working
>vacation.  One where I can work creatively, be challenged, be mentored, be 
>a
>mentor, learn better community development strategies, meet new people that
>understand progress, study better zoning ordinances - a lot of the same
>stuff that I would like to accomplished here, but can't.
>
>I believe Moscow and the Palouse will improve in the future.  Although it
>will take a long time for the political climate to be favorable for 
>northern
>Idaho, the winds will change.  UI will regain its balance and provide
>renewed optimism.  Other entities needing to re-assess, will have the
>opportunity to restructure.  I even expect to have better resources
>in-place, so I can sometime return to practice my art.  For now though, I
>have projects to work on in Prescott and I can acquire the challenges I
>need.
>
>Mark
>
>Mark Seman, Architect
>Heather Seman, Landscape Architect
>1404 East 'F' Street  Moscow, Idaho 83843
>v 208-883-3276 / f 208-883-0112
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Chris Storhok [mailto:cstorhok at co.fairbanks.ak.us]
>Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 2:35 PM
>To: 'Mark Seman'; Phil Nisbet; vision2020 at Moscow.com
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Future
>
>
>Mark,
>I hate to hear you are hitting the road as well....times are tough.  Phil
>and you are correct that Moscow and the UI are in a  lot of trouble.  The 
>UI
>will continue to bleed until someone steps into the Governor's Office and
>politely asks him to sack the entire State Board of Education, this board
>has stated over and over again that it will continue to punish the UI for
>its mistakes with the Boise development..that kind of attitude does not 
>have
>a place in government.  With the UI comprising 40 to 50% of Moscow's
>economy, Moscow really does not have a chance of pulling out of its funk
>until problems with the UI, the state legislature, the state board of
>education and the governor's office are straightened out.  I know that
>Representatives Trial and Ringo and Senator Schroeder have done all they 
>can
>to support the UI, Moscow, and Latah County; but fighting the Ada/BSU mob
>and a board of education that is out of control is just about impossible
>given the state's current political climate.
>
>I know that Barb Crouch/LEDC is working on everything possible to help
>establish a firm foundation for economic diversification, however the
>naysayers that continuously oppose Alturas II, box stores, and the like are
>really hurting any chance for success.   The entire concept of Alturas is 
>to
>expand and diversify the economy through local innovation and
>entrepreneurship, yet oddly it has served as the whipping boy for the 
>anti's
>since day one.  Why local citizens want to stifle growth based on
>development of local businesses is beyond me and truly is a very selfish
>position to take.  I know when I was working for the county we really did
>not spend time or resources trying to land the big fish; Barb, and LEDC as
>far as I know, has not gone that route either.  In this day of 
>international
>competition for jobs, Moscow (and Latah County as a whole) really is not
>capable of landing a Dell, instead the strength of the area is local
>entrepreneurial development through promoting innovation from research at
>both the UI and WSU.  Unfortunately, as Phil has pointed out, the UI has
>been distracted from developing its programs in Moscow.  I really hope that
>the City and the County can reignite its past efforts to work with the UI
>and again develop Moscow and the UI in a responsible manner.  To do that
>though will take support from citizens.
>
>It saddens me to hear that you and Heather have become the latest victims 
>of
>the anti-business crowd.  Full Circle Studios has been such a supporter of
>Moscow and its various institutions, that losing you is a big blow to the
>community and the economy.  Phil said it well, last one out turn off the
>lights.
>
>Take Care,
>Chris
>
>
>Chris Storhok
>North Pole, Alaska
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
>[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Mark Seman
>Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 9:57 PM
>To: Phil Nisbet; vision2020 at Moscow.com
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Future
>
>
>Phil,
>Your perspective is so refreshing to see posted ... maybe because it is
>pretty close to mine ... it's almost scary.  You name just a few of 
>Moscow's
>problems, and there are so many more.  Moscow's current problems lie in its
>angst to try and discover what it is to be.  There is plenty of bashing and
>too little problem solving, but this is part of its process of learning 
>what
>it wants.  At some point in time I expect to see movement towards
>constructive criticism and actual community building.  When the leaders,
>business people and citizens work towards consensus, this movement can go
>forward.  Until then, too many self-interests are at work here and leaving
>the rest of the community in the dark.
>
>High tech is just one market Moscow is missing out on.  But before Moscow
>can attract such firms, there needs to be a stable foundation-economy that
>maintains a sufficient stardard of living for those outside of this high
>tech industry.  To maintain our quality of life, there needs to be a 
>quality
>of life to maintain.  The past efforts of economic development have
>attempted to bypass our base economy and rely on attracting outside big
>business.  The business that has no sense of community, the business that 
>is
>attracted by economic & tax incentives, the business that cares not to be
>attracted by a strong community-based economic structure.
>
>Your bleak future for Moscow is a reality that can be undermined by the
>community.  I wish I could stick around to help see a brighter future
>happen, but it is beyond my current capacity to even want to continue 
>trying
>to live here.  I am one of the rats leaving the ship.  I'll be the second
>architect to leave in two years.  My wife will be the second LA to leave
>this year.  Whether it's common sense, high tech, art, community support, 
>or
>common good, Moscow no longer has what it takes to keep us here.
>
>While on sabbatical, we'll keep in touch with friends that remain, to see 
>if
>Moscow grows through its teenage-angst and decides to take sure steps in a
>positive direction.  Until then we'll experience other communities, learn
>how they grew through their differences, and if it works out, we'll return
>in a couple of years with a greater legitimacy than we were able to acheive
>in our 27 years of living here.  Best wishes in your vision quest.
>
>Ciao,
>Mark
>
>Mark Seman, Architect
>Heather Seman, Landscape Architect
>1404 East 'F' Street  Moscow, Idaho 83843
>v 208-883-3276 / f 208-883-0112
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
>[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Phil Nisbet
>Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 5:57 AM
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] The Future
>
>
>As with so many of the organizations and institutions in the local area 
>that
>lay claim to debating "The Future of Moscow", this particular list seems
>more pent up on airing political differences that actually talking about 
>the
>kind of community anybody wants to see in the future.  Insularity and 
>clique
>support in attacks on opposition seems the rule, all focused on the here 
>and
>now.
>
>Mark Solomon and I have posted, from two very differing views, on water
>resources issues.  There were very few responses or discussions from that.
>However, there is endless discussion of the love hate relationship between
>various religions here and endless posts from the "I Hate Bush" crowd of
>reposts of Editorial pages.
>
>And as the factions scream at each other here, form organizations to oppose
>each other, battle in the papers, in hearings and in the courts, what 
>future
>does Moscow have?
>
>Let me give you a very concrete example of why this is important.
>
>Growth in the next decade or two in the US economy is going to be based on
>the emergence of the field of Nanotechnology.  Universities are receiving
>close to a billion dollars a year in support from Federal budgets to study
>applications in this field and industry is starting to match and exceed 
>that
>spending.  Moscow is a university town and while budgets are being cut in
>other areas, Nanotech is not being sliced down to size.
>
>So, where is the University of Idaho on Nanotechnology?  Right at the
>forefront, but not here in Moscow.
>
>While all here have been battling and calling names, the University has
>quietly shipped two of the biggest growth areas of Nanotechnology right the
>heck out of the Moscow area.  The Bio-medical Technology side was shipped 
>up
>to Post Falls, so those personnel for the University do not live and
>contribute hare and their work will spawn nice clean new spin off jobs
>outside of Spokane.  The Nanotechnology Electronics folks are centered at a
>new institute in Boise and any jobs they spawn and the people working on
>them and the huge grants they get, all spread out in Ada not Latah County.
>
>If the current community of Moscow is such a wonderful place to be, why did
>our areas biggest employer decide, with absolutely no community input, to
>ship those jobs out of the area?  Could it be that they realize there is no
>future here in Moscow and like rats fleeing the ship, they are sending 
>their
>best and brightest to open up new locations?
>
>But what the heck, let's not discuss the future here.  Let us simply
>continue to back bite and back stab and name call and sh-t in our own nest.
>Then the last person out of the University of Idaho can please remember to
>shut off the lights, after all, we have to remember to conserve water and
>energy.
>
>Phil Nisbet
>
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>_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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>
>
>_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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