[Vision2020] Tribune uncovers new Moscow pro-growth group

Sun May 21 21:08:19 PDT 2006

Keely,
I agree with most all you say.  Moscow's growth needs to be more positive
(proper) and proactive.  I don't necessarily associate growth with being
negative, though much has definitely been poorly implemented in the past and
the process needs to be changed.  Our children are the future and they need
to be wisely assisted.  School gradutates without oppotunity leave town.  If
the opportunity is not Wal-Mart, what else will Moscow provide?  Moscow
needs to actively pursue what it wants to be...what it wants for its future.
If your list could come to fruition, "what a wonderful world this would be."
I hope to see it happen.  I don't want growth for growth's sake, I want
positive community-minded growth and that's why I'm willing to support GMA.

Moscow needs to "come together" before it can proactively move forward.
Part of the process to do this is to develop dialogue, a concensus, and a
plan of action.  Then the plan can be implemented.  It seems GMA wants to be
part of that dialogue.  I would like to think that the various organizations
in Moscow recognize the need for concensus and that they are not organized
just to toot their own horn.  Organizations need to brining their concerns
to the table for discussion, but with the intent of compromise, so a plan
can be developed to move Moscow forward.  The plan can be tweaked along the
way, but the plan needs to be developed so efforts for implementation can
proceed.

I'm not quite sure whether the long-standing question is "When will the
dialogue begin?" or "How much longer will it take to get consensus?"  Either
way, Moscow is still far off from having a plan, let alone implementing one
for its future.  The current model of reaction needs to be replaced with
proaction, so for the most part, the answer is known before the question is
even asked.

I know it is tough to get to such a point of agreement, but I see that as a
major role of Mayor and Council.  Provide the leadership that gets these
steps done so Moscow knows its self well enough to define its general path
to future development.  This process is not solely on the shoulders of the
City either, the community needs to care enough to be involved.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of keely emerinemix
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 9:47 AM
To: thansen at moscow.com; FCS at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Tribune uncovers new Moscow pro-growth group

I'd disagree with any group that would usher in big-box stores and a
proliferation of strip malls, and I don't think that growth for growth's
sake is at all desireable.

That said, I'm equally cocerned about people or groups who fail to recognize
the moral, social and economic difference between the positive benefits of,
say, a new high school on the fringes of town and a Wal-Mart Supercenter on
the fringes of town.  The apparent inability of some people to differentiate
between a temple of gross consumerism and corporate greed and a
state-of-the-art, educationally suitable and forward-planned high school is
almost as vexing as it is frightening.

Here's what I want for Moscow:
-- Growth that includes homes priced to allow the working poor to build
equity and secure a future -- An economy that derives benefit from a
financially sound and academically robust university
-- School buildings that are equitable across the district in their
educational suitability
-- Vocational and technological training for our kids who don't have a
four-year college in their
future, with a commitment to quality education for all of our students
-- A healthy, business-oriented downtown;
-- A pro-business city government that recognizes that "pro-business" means
support not for corporate leviathans but for small businesses, with a move
toward securing innovative technological and production companies that
provide real jobs;
-- A continued atmosphere of support for the arts.

The long and short of it is, I guess, that I'd like a hybrid of MCA and GMA
-- keep out the big box businesses, throw support behind public schools, and
never confuse the two.

keely

From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
To: <FCS at moscow.com>, <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Tribune uncovers new Moscow pro-growth group
Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 05:49:54 -0700

Mark -

Although I applaud your community activism, I personally would want to know
just where an organization stands on issues before I joined it.

So far, all the Greater Moscow Alliance (GMA) has accomplished amounts to
nothing more than providing a list of "feel good" mission standards, a list
of names that comprises its leadership, and a list of "Issues of Interest"
of which they have no stated position.

Thoughts, Moscow?

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

********************************************

"In America, anybody can become president.
That's one of the risks you take . . ."

- Adlai Stevenson

********************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Mark Seman
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 9:20 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Tribune uncovers new Moscow pro-growth group

I might think it to be more important to give Moscow a "proper" tone.  On
any particular issue that tone could be perceived as either right or left -
whichever is needed, as long as it is "proper."  For now I have hope (with
some trepidation) that GMA is willing to help Moscow attain proper
prosperity.  To listen and act for the betterment of not only themselves,
but for a greater community good.  I'm signing up for a year to see what
happens.  I could just sit back and do nothing, or I could do more, but for
now I'll just help out a little bit.  In the future, I hope to desire to do
more.

Mark

_____________________________________________________
  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
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

_____________________________________________________
 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
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯