[Vision2020] city emails and the water thing

Wed Feb 13 10:49:44 PST 2008

Hi Dan,

In part, you wrote:

I've not been perusing the Vizzz of late, but I see a lot of questions have
been asked regarding the settlement agreement with Hawkins.  I've replied to
those who I have received an email from in my city email, plus a couple
others to my private emails.

I think people may not have gotten a response lately because none of those
V2020 emails that have the city email addresses copied in have made it into
my city inbox.  I don't know if there's some sort of spam filter or what,
but maybe sending a seperate email to the city council email link on the
city's website, then the same to the 2020 would be a good idea to make sure
it's received.

Thanks for the above comments.  Would it be possible for you to check in
with the City to find out what's going on, then?  I'm one of those who
hasn't received a single response to my questions - I was planning on giving
it a few more days, but with your comments above, it would seem that there's
some problem.  Clearly, some Council members are getting at least some of
the emails because Walter Steed (who has an AOL addy) received and responded
to Garrett's email - Garrett responded to to a V2020 post with questions I'd
made where I included the mayor's and council members' email addys (from the
City Web site), so his post went to me & V2020 and was cc'ed to the mayor
and council members as my original had done.  I'll note that while Mr. Steed
has responded to at least some inquiries including Garrett's, he's not
responded to mine - I've not gotten so much as an acknowledgment from the
mayor or any council member that my email was received, let alone any
answers to the questions I asked.

It would seem to me that if the City has some filter in place that ditches
emails directly addressed to the mayor and council members, that's a problem
that needs to be fixed.

Also, can you please clarify why it is some council members have City email
addys while some don't?  I noticed when I got the email addys from the Web
site that Nancy Chaney, Bill Lambert, Wayne Krauss, and you have City email
addys while Tom Lamar, Walter Steed, and John Weber have non-city email
addys.  It's not something I'd even be curious about but for the fact you're
indicating that your City email addy isn't receiving at least some emails
sent to you.

Thanks, too, for other comments in your email - I'm reserving further
comment for now because I'm still trying to get answers  J

TIA,

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 2008 through life plus
70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside
the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
author.*****

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Dan Carscallen
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 10:11 AM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] city emails and the water thing

Vizzz Peeps

I've not been perusing the Vizzz of late, but I see a lot of questions have
been asked regarding the settlement agreement with Hawkins.  I've replied to
those who I have received an email from in my city email, plus a couple
others to my private emails.

I think people may not have gotten a response lately because none of those
V2020 emails that have the city email addresses copied in have made it into
my city inbox.  I don't know if there's some sort of spam filter or what,
but maybe sending a seperate email to the city council email link on the
city's website, then the same to the 2020 would be a good idea to make sure
it's received.

And since I'm here, I'll share my reasoning for why I voted the way I did
(as I've shared with some who have asked):

1.  I felt that protracted litigation would have cost hundreds of thousands
of dollars.  I would much rather spend that money on paving our gravel
streets, building sidewalks, and possibly even investing in the affordable
housing fund that was brought forward by Rick Beebe,  plus some plans our
Affordable Housing Commission is going to bring forward in the future.  

2.  We are going to be able to charge a premium rate for the water.  If
Hawkins chooses to buy sewer service, we can charge a premium rate for it as
well.  When treated effluent becomes available, we can charge for it as well
(the University of Idaho currently uses it for free).  It is my hope that we
can take that which we make off of the development and put it into a fund to
facilitate the exploration of alternative sources of water.

3.  In talking with Walter Steed, he said that Steve Robischon from PBAC
says that we will see a net *decrease* in water drawn from the aquifer if we
have municipal control over it rather than letting Hawkins drill their wells
as they wish.

4.  I did see this development as an inevitability, since the Whitman County
Commissioners are doing all they can to make this happen.  I would much
rather see us sell the water to Hawkins, have the control over it, and get
paid for it instead of the City of Pullman piping water all the way through
the corridor, thereby increasing the chance of further development through
there, or allowing Hawkins to drill a well and have no commitment from them
regarding conservation.  This will at least slow things down a bit.

5.  Regarding the "secrecy of the deal":  We were playing the cards we were
dealt.  The mayor and our attorney did a good job of selling us the idea of
mediation, so we entered into it trying to get the best we could for the
city.  I commend the mayor and councilmen Krauss and Steed for their
efforts.

6.  I know some people out there that levy the charge that big box stores
will harm local businesses.  What I see in Moscow that's different is that
we have an eclectic mix of small retailers that I don't believe will be hurt
by big box stores.  I am not going to go to Wal Mart to get the things I
would get at Hyperspud, for example.  The same thing goes for Marco Polo
Imports, Paradise Creek Bicycles, or even the Camas Prairie Winery.  I also
believe, after hearing from Tri-State's Gerard Connelley during the recent
"Buy Local" forum, that some new businesses will bring customers from other
areas to shop at our existing businesses.  Gerard even said that his best
day was the day Wal Mart opened, and that he hasn't had a down month since
they did.

7.  I know item 7 is a "hard pill to swallow", but there is always give and
take in mediation.  We *do* have the right to protest things that may be a
nuisance (stinky effluent ponds, for example) or public safety issues.

I hope this answers some questions by those that have had them.  I know
there won't be a lot of agreement as to what has been done, but understand
that I am doing what I think is best for Moscow.  Obviously, there are
different opinions out there.  

I'll gladly answer more if you have them.  But please use the
dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us email so it doesn't get lost in the V2020
shuffle.

Thanks for your concerns.

Dan Carscallen

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