[Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth

B. J. Swanson bjswan at moscow.com
Thu Nov 1 12:49:00 PDT 2007 

Donovan,

Times change, so do people. I appreciate people who pay attention,  
listen and are willing to adjust their opinions based on what is best  
for the community.

I visited with Aaron a number of times about Alturas Technology Park.  
I fully understand why he was opposed to it, so were many others.  
Alturas went through some hard times. Now it is a success and  
contributes to the community. I'm quite sure Aaron agrees.

Now Aaron sits on the Urban Renewal Agency. Again, he is one of the  
most prepared members of the URA. He reads the information and is not  
afraid to ask tough questions.

I greatly appreciate his open mind and willingness to listen and learn.

B. J. Swanson

--------------

On Nov 1, 2007, at 12:14 PM, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com 
 > wrote:

> BJ,
>
> So he was elected holding one view, then changed his mind after  
> getting elected. Are you certain he won't change his mind later  
> after being surrounded by people that are opposed to it?
>
> Would you support his campaign if he changed his mind again on the  
> issue?
>
> Best,
>
> Donovan
>
> "B. J. Swanson" <bjswan at moscow.com> wrote:
> Donovan,
>
> Aaron Ament does not oppose Alturas Technology Park and wants to  
> explore the possibility of expanding into a Phase III.
>
> After first opposing Alturas, Aaron voluntarily attended several  
> Latah Economic Development Council meetings and talked with many  
> people. With an open mind, he learned what a valuable resource  
> Alturas was to the community.
>
> Here's a great example of a City Councilman willing to take the time  
> to listen, learn and make well informed decisions.
>
> B. J. Swanson
>
> ------------
>
> On Nov 1, 2007, at 11:36 AM, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com 
> > wrote:
>
>> Tom I,
>>
>> The composition of members of the City Council changes almost  
>> monthly, if not yearly. I don't think it is so much the individuals  
>> as it is the policies. The current City Council members that are  
>> running again strongly support economic policies that have stifled  
>> growth in Moscow and opposed ones that would significantly improve  
>> it. Aaron Ament, for example, strongly opposed the Alturas Project  
>> and expansion.
>>
>> Do you agree of disagree with his position? If you agree, why do  
>> you think this project should be stopped from expanding?
>>
>> You cannot have change if we keep electing the same people over and  
>> over again that keep enforcing the same bad policies over and over  
>> again.
>>
>> Remember;
>>
>>  “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and ov 
>> er again and expecting different results”. -----Albert Einstein
>>
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Donovan
>>
>> Tom Ivie <the_ivies3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> ...and just over 2 yrs ago was a different city council and Mayor
>>
>> baukunst at moscow.com wrote:
>> My wife & I left Moscow just over 2 years ago because of the business
>> climate, limited available opportunities, and looking for a change of
>> scenery. I understand Moscow businesses to operate just fine if your
>> clientele are UI student, staff, or faculty; or are out of the area  
>> - there
>> is a very limited population to find a maket niche in otherwise. To  
>> depend
>> upon the local pop. is too limiting for very many. Others followed  
>> suit
>> and left the Palouse around the same time we did because of its
>> self-imposed limits. It could be more, but...
>>
>> Moscow development seems to limit itself to supplying current  
>> resident
>> needs. It does not want to draw attention to itself and attract  
>> others to
>> the area. In the 27 years I witnessed, it has done so because of a
>> "mentality" of "do the minimum to get by." Its agrarian background is
>> strong and will subside, but it is still highly ingrained.  
>> Frugality is
>> too progressive. The Palouse is progressive in thought - actions  
>> say the
>> opposite.
>>
>> Looking towards the future, Moscow will not want to change from its  
>> past.
>> It will not seek to build upon the UI resource(s) to attract more  
>> people
>> and attention. High-tech jobs maytrickle in because of the quality of
>> life, but it is tightly controlled by the forces the above subject  
>> line
>> means to rebuke. Why move there when other places are more well  
>> known?
>> What does it have to offer that CO, AZ, or OR & WA don't? Most would
>> likely head to Boise first anyway, unless only the UI had it.
>>
>> "Free market" forces bring Moscow's slow growth rate. Christ Church
>> results from the free market and the willing buyers of belivers.  
>> Condos
>> along the UI golf course will come when the 'boomer market demands.  
>> "Free
>> market" forces will bring a pedestrian overpass at 3rd & TriState.
>> Building upon the available creative resources has as more common  
>> sense
>> than the no-brainer "attract high-tech."
>>
>> I don't belive the "free market" is wise, nor do I trust it. The  
>> "free
>> market" is part of a larger system and as such it is influenced by  
>> forces
>> beyond the local market. What happens in Moscow, ID is not totally  
>> out of
>> control, but it is beyond local influence only. The local political
>> election changes people, it does not change the system.
>>
>> As long as there is gravity, water will seek equilibrium. It might
>> overshoot past being sustainable, but it will find a usable level.
>> Development levels will follow water too. Although development can be
>> retrofitted to fit consumption levels that should have been  
>> implemented
>> initially.
>>
>> Anyway, I hope the UI condos are in-place in 5 years so I can move  
>> back and
>> retire in comfort; not having to be concerned about making a living  
>> in
>> Moscow, ID. As long as there are students serving up lattes &  
>> bagles or
>> crumpets and tea, I should be just fine, then, cheerio.
>>
>> Mark Seman, Architect
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------
>> This message was sent by First Step Internet.
>> http://www.fsr.com/
>>
>>
>> =======================================================
>> 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
>> =======================================================
>>
>>
>>
>> Tom & Liz Ivie
>> __________________________________________________
>> Do You Yahoo!?
>> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>> http://mail.yahoo.com  
>> =======================================================
>> 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
>> =======================================================
>>
>> __________________________________________________
>> Do You Yahoo!?
>> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>> =======================================================
>> 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
>> =======================================================
> =======================================================
> 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
> =======================================================
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20071101/d6ffdfde/attachment.html

More information about the Vision2020 mailing list