[Vision2020] Water, ballfields, voting, etc.

[Kai Eiselein, editor]

The ballfields would have been perfect for an infusion of cash into the local economy. The perfect infusion, even.
Had lights and a sound system been allowed, the complex would have been perfect for softball/baseball tournaments during the spring and summer months, right when Moscow's economy starts to slow down.
Think about it, people coming from out of town for two or three days, spending their money on hotels, food, gas and concessions...then leaving. The perfect influx of cash.
But no, instead, no tourrnaments will be allowed.
Moscow may have had a chance to host state baseball/softball tournaments with a state of the art complex, and a chance to showcase the area to people who otherwise might not have ever come here. And Moscow blew it. So much for an eye to the future, just short sightedness rearing its ugly head again.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Ivie 
  To: Tim Lohrmann ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:58 AM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Water, ballfields, voting, etc.


  Hi Tim,
  You can vote for up to three candidates.  You can vote for one, two, or three, just not four.  Four will invalidate your ballot. 

  One thing to remember is that the ballfields was an issue from a previous city council, not the current one.  It was left for the current city council to deal with, much like many other issues.

  Tim Lohrmann <timlohr at yahoo.com> wrote:
    Questions on some election issues:

    1. The water situation is a little baffling in some respects. 
    The City of Moscow's official thinking seems to be that our water situation on the Palouse is at best uncertain due to inconclusive supply data on the supply and at worst a near crisis because of rapidly declining supply. 

    The incumbents running for re-election seem to follow this line of thinking---believing we should continue water rationing in the summer because of this uncertainty,and make other major efforts at conserving the supply, etc.

    On the other hand, several challengers seem to believe we should relax usage restrictions because they believe the supply is plentiful. 

    So, how does the plan to build the new Ballfields Complex---which will require an estimated 6 million gallons of city water a year---fit into this?
    It seems as if the water-conservation-conscious City Council went into this project thinking they would use reclaimed water. But when this option became impractical because of high cost they just kept on with it anyway---despite the huge new water requirements. 

    Ballfields, baseball and soccer are great..wonderful even...but do we really have the water to grow all that grass for fun? It would seem the wise course of action would be to know the answer to that before we go ahead. 

    I guess I can understand the challengers being in favor of this project if they truly believe we have a plentiful water supply.This view doesn't seem to be supported by any reliable data, just personal opinion, but I guess it's at least somewhat rational.  

    On the other hand, the City and the Council incumbents seem to be saying: "The water situation is serious, or critical, or we're just not sure we have enough for our future basic needs but hey, let's commit all this water to the ballfields anyway. And oh yeah, all you residents go ahead and deal with the water restrictions at the same time."

    Is it a choice between the shortsighted and the irrational on this issue?

    1a. Does anyone know how the candidates want to pay for the ballfield complex? I understand the idea of a Bond election to pay for it is what's currently being considered. What's the currrent cost estimate and when do the candidates want to hold this election? 

    2.  Is it OK to vote for just one or two of the council candidates for the four-year term?
    I'm in favor of one and possibly two of the incumbent candidates, but not too thrilled about the other---mainly because of how they handled the controversy surrounding this ballfield issue. 
    So,will a ballot with just one or two names marked be counted even though the directions will say VOTE FOR THREE?

    Thanks,
    TL





    "Those 'technicalities' have a name, Bobby. They're called the Bill of Rights."
                                                                                     ----Hank Hill



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  Tom & Liz Ivie
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