Who's Anti-Business? (was RE: [Vision2020] Understanding Alturas)

Sat Mar 18 15:03:52 PST 2006

I'd like to thank Robin Woods, LEDC President for bringing up the following:
"The LEDC assists businesses in all of Latah County.  A huge success story
is Potting Shed Creations, LTD., in Troy.  It moved to Troy in 2004 with 12
jobs.  It now employs over 40 and has recently broken into European
markets."

I'm hoping someone with a better memory or more information than mine will
help out.

As I recall, Potting Shed Creations was interested in moving to Moscow.  How
did this wonderful & thriving *local* business wind up moving from Pullman
to Troy instead of to Moscow?  It seems to me there was some kind of zoning
problem, but all I can find on the City Web site is:
http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/cityclerk/council/2003/Council%2010-20-03.pdf

I guess I'm bringing this up because there have been a few shrill
accusations that the current City Council is anti-business, yet Moscow's
most unfortunate loss of Potting Shed Creations happened under the previous
council.  For those of you so quick to accuse the current Council (seated
for all of less than three months!) of being anti-business, is that a label
you think applies to the previous Council?  If so, where were your
criticisms then?

Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

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

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2005, Saundra Lund.
Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum
without the express written permission of the author.*****

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Robin Woods
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 2:14 PM
To: Vision2020 Moscow; Joan Opyr
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Understanding Alturas

Visionaries,

Thanks for all of the recent discussion regarding Alturas Technology Park
and the businesses located there.  Allow me to weigh in with my perspective
on a few of the discussion items:

The Latah Economic Development Council is in the process of surveying
Alturas Park tenants and will be putting together an economic impact study
of Alturas Park and presenting it at an upcoming public economic forum. 
Just off the top of my head, I think Joan's numbers of about 70+ jobs at an
average annual salary of $55,000 is pretty close.

Alturas Technology Park is zoned RTO (Research Technology Office) which
allows for a limited number of supporting businesses such as an attorney,
accountant, or day care to be located within Alturas.  The zoning will not
allow multiple businesses of the same type to locate within the Park.

Part of our mission at the LEDC is to recruit and retain technology and
commercial businesses that pay living wages and compliment the quality of
life in Latah County.  For example, one area the LEDC focuses on is
technology transfer out of the University of Idaho.  Our idea is to assist
start-up businesses in the U-I Incubator, help them grow for 3-5 years until
the businesses are strong and able to move out and hopefully locate in
Moscow -- possibly to Alturas Technology Park.

For the retail side of things, the Moscow Chamber has been working hard
recruiting and retaining those types of businesses to Moscow.  The LEDC and
Moscow Chamber work together in some areas such as marketing and
advertising, and actively support each other.

The LEDC assists businesses in all of Latah County.  A huge success story is
Potting Shed Creations, LTD., in Troy.  It moved to Troy in 2004 with 12
jobs.  It now employs over 40 and has recently broken into European markets.

Other successes are Alpine Trailer Manufacturing in Deary and Kendrick Ag &
Supply in Kendrick.

The LEDC began in 1987.  We have limited resources and only one full time
employee - our executive director, Margaret Howlett.  We have no funds to
pay incentives to recruit and retain businesses like neighboring states, but
still have many success stories and work continually with many partners to
bring living wage jobs and quality of life to our communities.

Robin Woods

President

Latah Economic Development Council

121 Sweet Avenue

Moscow ID 83843

208-885-3883

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joan Opyr" <joanopyr at moscow.com>
To: "Vision2020 Moscow" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 4:59 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Understanding Alturas

>>> ---- "g. crabtree" <jampot at adelphia.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> =============
>>> It looks like Mr. Hansen would have us believe that the answer to all
>>> of this communities problems is to expand Alturas. As is, the park is
>>> as much a home for lawyers and child care centers as it is a home to
>>> high tech companies. I seriously doubt that expanding it to the size
>>> of the proposed super center will result in any significant gains and
>>> to put my money where my mouth is, Tom, I'll bet you $100.00 that
>>> after five years the park will not have filled it's current expansion
>>> with "high tech" businesses much less be in need of additional space.
>>> wa da ya say? I'd love to lose this bet almost as much as I'd love to
>>> take your cash.
>>>
>>> gc
>
>
> Alturas is home to one lawyer and one child care center.  The child care 
> center is not an independent entity but directly related to an existing 
> Alturas business.  It operates as a benefit to employees; it's a 
> perquisite, an inducement, a means of employee retention, like vacation 
> days or life insurance.
>
> I do hate to see people running down the technology park when they are not

> in full possession of the facts, Gary.  You want to talk about Alturas? 
> Then get your shiny hiney out there and talk to someone like Robin Woods, 
> President of Alturas Analytics and Anatek Labs, and also President of the 
> Latah Economic Development Council.  I'm sure she'd be happy to answer 
> your questions, or you might talk to Comtech-AHA, or Siemens, or EMSI, or 
> CC Benefits.  Alturas will soon be home to another company that I hear has

> made an offer on one of the new lots.  What's more, I understand that 
> there are about 72 jobs out there -- jobs that weren't there (or in 
> Moscow, period) ten years ago.  Has your business expanded that much in 
> the past decade?  What have you done lately to contribute to the growth of

> Moscow's economy?
>
> To be fair, I must admit that I have not done my part to help The Lock 
> Shop's business.  Alas, I can't be locked out of my 1976 Chevy Suburban; 
> it's so old, it starts without a key.  I believe the ignition lock is 
> stripped.  And this is why I need a 1968 Mustang Fastback Church of Auntie

> Establishment love gift.  Please, dear parishoners, give generously.  Give

> often.  Give money that's not even yours.  I don't mind and, what's more, 
> I offer you complete and utter absolution, no questions asked.  Remember, 
> if you're stealing in the name of religion, it's not really stealing. 
> It's more like indefinite borrowing at zero interest.
>
> The Reverend Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
> www.joanopyr.com
>
> PS: I know; I'm way over my posting limit.  Sorry about that.  But it's 
> okay -- I've forgiven me.
>
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