[Vision2020] FW: Moscow Ice Rink
Chris Storhok
cstorhok at co.fairbanks.ak.us
Fri Jan 19 11:38:25 PST 2007
What is really needed is a green light from the County Commissioners to
build a permanent ice rink facility. From the very beginning, the
current structure was designed to be replaced with a fully enclosed NHL
size ice rink; yet PIRA/Rotary has not been given permission to move
forward by the BOCC.
If the county had wasted taxpayer's funds paving a parking lot (only
because Moscow City Code forces them too) and then rip out the lot a
year or two later; imagine the howls from indignant tax payers; I know I
would have yelled as well. Wasting precious tax dollars on a frivolous
parking lot, one that will also alter the location of activities during
the fair, is an unfair burden on the county. I believe the City of
Moscow should allow for some flexibility when dealing with the county.
The same taxpayers are after all paying for both governments, one would
hope that the governments work together to maximize resources and reduce
waste. I know City codes are rigid, maybe they should be amended in
order to allow for special cases such as this. Paving that parking lot
at this time in the name crossing the t's and dotting the i's of city
code is a waste of money that should not be tolerated by citizens of
either the city or the county.
Chris S.
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of lfalen
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 10:07 AM
To: Art Deco; Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: Moscow Ice Rink
It is time for everyone to get active. For those that can make it, there
is a public meeting on the Ice Rink at 2:30 this afternoon in room2B at
the courthouse. It is after the commissioners executive session.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "Art Deco" deco at moscow.com
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:39:13 -0800
To: "Vision 2020" vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: Moscow Ice Rink
> Mark writes:
>
> "I don't know if it's apathy, ignorance of unwillingness. The Rotary
Pavilion (ice rink) and LHS have been known to need help for years.
What are the citizens of Moscow & Latah County to do? Are they to be
pro-active..."
>
> I agree. In my opinion the Ice Rink is a valuable asset for the city
and county for many reasons.
>
> There are three parties involved: the city, the county, and the ice
rink folks. They all share part of the blame for the present situation.
I hope this problem can be resolved.
>
> Most of us would like to see a more proactive on the part of those we
hire and elect to do the public business on a great number of
issues/problems. Both the city and the county are still faced with the
zoning issue of designating more appropriate commercial and light
industrial zoning space and a host of some other growth related issues.
>
> Perhaps, as Mark suggests, some of the fault lies with us ordinary
citizens. We might start letting the elected officials know more
vociferously what we want and how badly we want it. We should also let
them know, especially in the City of Moscow, that we expect a day's work
for a day's pay at a hardy pace of work from all hired hands.
>
> J Ford commented upon the problem of having a city manager who does
not live in the city (nor in the same state). I generally do not agree
with laws that require all city/county etc employees to live within the
entity that employs them. However, I do think that city
management/administration would improve if the city manager and the
department heads were required to live within the city. When they are
forced by their residency to enjoy or suffer the results of their labors
and hear about them from their friends and neighbors, they will likely
have a greater appreciation for the issues/problems and are likely to be
more sensitive to, empathetic of, and more anxious to effectively deal
with problems that residents must live with 365/24/7.
>
>
> Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
> deco at moscow.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: mark seman
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 2:21 AM
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: Moscow Ice Rink
>
>
> I don't know if it's apathy, ignorance of unwillingness. The Rotary
Pavillion (ice rink) and LHS have been known to need help for years.
What are the citizens of Moscow & Latah County to do? Are they to be
pro-active to save and expand upon what they have, or do they just not
know what's going on, or maybe they just don't want it. I know it's all
three, actually there's a fourth - those that tried to help. A lot of
effort has gone into these Places. I hope the scales tip positively and
people don't give up. Maybe it's just not the right time, and
discussions in the near future will help determine that. Maybe use
funds from the John Dickinson Philanthropic Fund for Sustainablity.
>
> Mark
>
>
> mark r. seman, architect
> v=928.925.7617
> f=928.776.9107
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Tom Ivie
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 9:58 PM
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: Moscow Ice Rink
>
>
> I think that the city has been more than fair in regards to the ice
rink SUP. They have given the county numerous opportunities to rectify
the violation. The county, to my knowledge, hasn't ever offered to meet
with city officials to discuss an amicable resolution. The city is the
one that has come forward and taken the initiative. The city could have
acted sooner on the violation,legally as soon as the violation occurred
in Oct. This recent cease and desist order was pretty generous also.
They gave the county until the 25th to work something out when they
could have shut the rink down right then and there (they gave them a
stay of execution). This gives the city time to work something out with
the county. I am confident that the Mayor and City Council are doing the
right thing here and optimistic that an agreement will be made before
the 25th deadline. I don't believe that the Mayor or anyone on City
Council wants to shut down the rink. At least it didn't sound!
like it
as I watched the council meeting Tuesday night. I am sure it did not
make Joel Plaskon's job rewarding to have to point out that the
violation was there or Randy Fife's day to finally have to enforce the
terms of the SUP.
>
> Jerry Weitz <gweitz at moscow.com> wrote:
> As one of the folks involved in the founding of the ice rink, I am
not surprised with this city's government. The same thing was done to
the Alt. School and its defense cost a little over $12,000 in a
Neighorhood Business Zone. The city's action against the Alt. School was
is violation of state and federal law. I believe that you will find the
1912 (without safe sidewalks) is in violation of city code, but that
does not seem to matter (I am a supporter of the 1912). Sometimes
looking past a minor detail at certain junctures is the best for the
common good. The county is not flush with money. I believe it is time
for a significant change in city government.
> Jerry
>
>
>
>
>
> At 11:13 AM 1/18/07, Tom Ivie wrote:
>
> I am sure that the first inclination is to be upset with the
city because they are the enforcer. Take a step back and analyze the
situation though. The rink folks are caught in the middle for sure.
The city has to enforce the violated SUP. The conditions of the SUP
were agreed to by both the city and county. It is up to the county to
comply with those conditions. The county knew that non-compliance means
violating the SUP and what the consequences of that is. The county has
known for some time now that the city would have to do this and they
should have been doing something, anything (setup a meeting, etc.) to
try and rectify the situation. unfortunately, it is the ice rink (a
third party) that will feel any reprocussions from the situation. I
believe it is a bump in the road, though, and not the demise of the ice
rink. It looks like the city is trying to move forward and work with
the county to resolve the situation as soon as possible. This is
evident by t!
he city
setting up a meeting with the county commissioners on the matter. I am
sure there are a whole lot of "not happy" ice rink users right now and
they have good reason to be upset.
>
> Chris Storhok <cstorhok at co.fairbanks.ak.us> wrote:
>
>
>
> Visionaries,
>
> My question to all of you is how in the heck does this happen:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Moscow issues cease-and-desist order
for ice
>
> rink
>
> > County has until Jan. 25 to reach agreement on use permit
>
> >
>
> > Staff report
>
> >
>
> > Wednesday, January 17, 2007 - Page Updated at 05:41:27 PM
>
> >
>
> > The city of Moscow has issued a cease-and-desist order for
the Moscow
>
> > Rotary Veteran's Memorial Pavilion ice rink at the Latah
County
>
> > Fairgrounds.
>
> >
>
> > A letter signed by City Attorney Randy Fife outlining the
order was
>
> > presented to county commissioners during their Wednesday
meeting.
>
> >
>
> > The ice rink will be forced to close Jan. 25 at 5 p.m.
unless county
>
> > commissioners can reach an agreement with the city.
Commissioners have
>
> > scheduled a public meeting for 2:30 p.m. Friday to discuss
the
>
> situation.
>
> >
>
> > The city recently notified Latah County it was in violation
of its
>
> special
>
> > use permit to operate the ice rink and the Latah County
Fairgrounds
>
> because
>
> > it had not defined its parking area around the facility and
failed to
>
> pave
>
> > the rink's parking lot by the specified date.
>
> >
>
> > The ice rink operates under a special use permit in the R3,
or duplex
>
> zone.
>
> >
>
> > The county had until Sept. 30 to complete the paving project
under
>
> > stipulations of the special use permit it signed in October
2005.
>
> >
>
> > The county has sought permanent status for the fairgrounds
for years.
>
> Every
>
> > two to five years it must reapply for a special use permit
to keep the
>
> > grounds open.
>
> >
>
> > The county has put down more gravel in the parking lot and
plans to
>
> install
>
> > parking bumpers to show the city it is serious about meeting
the
>
> special
>
> > use permit requirements.
>
> >
>
> > Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney said Fife signed the
cease-and-desist order
>
> > Wednesday afternoon.
>
> >
>
> > "I think it's in keeping with enforcing the city's laws. It
did not
>
> slam
>
> > the door for possibilities of the ice rink," she said. "This
is a
>
> wake-up
>
> > call and I hope for the best."
>
> >
>
> > Chaney said the previous warnings had not resulted in
compliance by
>
> the
>
> > county.
>
> >
>
> > "I am hopeful that a workable, mutually agreeable solution
may be the
>
> end
>
> > result," she said.
>
> >
>
> > The City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to try to organize a
meeting with
>
> Latah
>
> > County and Palouse Ice Rink Association officials to work
toward a
>
> > solution.
>
> >
>
> > Chaney said the meeting is still being planned, but a time
has not
>
> been
>
> > set.
>
> >
>
> > County commissioners Jack Nelson and Tom Stroschein declined
comment
>
> on
>
> the
>
> > matter Wednesday evening. Both said they hadn't had a chance
to read
>
> > through the cease-and-desist order.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> Chris S.
>
> N.P. AK
>
>
>
>
>
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