[Vision2020] The Future
aaron ament
citizenament at moscow.com
Wed Jul 6 12:11:25 PDT 2005
carl,
my grandmothers parents, along with her grandfather arrived in latah
county about the time as your family and my grandfathers grandparents had a
homestead in extreme northern nez perce county, about a stones throw from
latah county. while not born here, i made my first visit to the palouse
[genesee] during the first year of my visit to the earth. i would like to
add a me too, to your sentiments. this is my home and i too will stay, and
work to keep moscow, moscow and oppose its becoming one more in a series of
Anywhere Whatsitmatter, USA.
aaron c. ament
i'm a city kid and moscow is my city.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846 at hotmail.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 8:02 AM
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Future
> 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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>
> _____________________________________________________
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