[Vision2020] Megaloads and Hippies

[Shirley Ringo]

Henry was a page in the Legislature a few years ago.  The last I knew, he worked for Radio Shack in Pullman.  He is a pretty strong Republican, with quite "big business" leanings.

Over time, he has been a regular contributor to the Daily News.

Shirley

Shirley
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Borg Hendrickson 
  To: Brett Haverstick 
  Cc: Tom Hansen ; Moscow Vision 2020 ; Dinah Zeiger ; Friends of the Clearwater ; Fritz Knorr ; Helen Yost ; Jane Kauzlarich ; Jeanne McHale ; Joann Muneta ; Lin Laughy ; Marilyn Beckett ; Sally Perrine ; Shirley Ringo ; Tom Trail ; Vera White ; Wild Idaho Rising Tide 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 8:33 AM
  Subject: Re: Megaloads and Hippies


  Not me.




  On Jun 7, 2011, at 7:25 AM, Brett Haverstick wrote:


    Does anyone know who Henry Johnston is, where he lives and what he does for a living?




    Brett



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com>
    To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
    Cc: Borg Hendrickson <chicory at wildblue.net>; Brett Haverstick <bhaverstick at yahoo.com>; Dinah Zeiger <dzeiger at uidaho.edu>; Friends of the Clearwater <foc at friendsoftheclearwater.org>; Fritz Knorr <fritzknorr at gmail.com>; Helen Yost <helen.yost at vandals.uidaho.edu>; Jane Kauzlarich <indigo3239 at msn.com>; Jeanne McHale <jeannemchale at hotmail.com>; Joann Muneta <Jmuneta at uidaho.edu>; Lin Laughy <lin at wildblue.net>; Marilyn Beckett <marilynbeckett at gmail.com>; Sally Perrine <sperrine at potlatch.com>; Shirley Ringo <ringoshirl at moscow.com>; Tom Trail <ttrail at moscow.com>; Vera White <vnwhite at cableone.net>; Wild Idaho Rising Tide <wild.idaho.rising.tide at gmail.com>
    Sent: Tue, June 7, 2011 6:08:21 AM
    Subject: Megaloads and Hippies

    Courtesy of today's (June 7, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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

    Moscow-Pullman Daily News - DNews.com
    HIS VIEW: An issue of facts, not emotions

    By Henry D. Johnston
    June 7, 2011

    About a month ago the city of Moscow hosted a public forum to discuss the
    potential of moving ExxonMobil's megaloads through Moscow on U.S. Highway
    95. The meeting was preceded by a good old-fashioned protest,
    demonstrating the true size of a megaload and decrying what it will do to
    Moscow's precious trees.

    It has been a long time since Moscow's hippies have dug out their leather
    vests, put on their Birkenstocks and readjusted their graying ponytails in
    an effort to rally "the movement" against "the man." There's something
    about a protest to get the blood pumping and, as the Berkeley of north
    Idaho, Moscow really knows how to throw one.

    Quite frankly, I've missed it.

    After watching the video of the public forum (courtesy of local politico
    Tom Hansen) I think it's pretty obvious the vocal minority of Moscow's
    residents don't care about the movement of the megaloads as much as they
    care about the broader impact of what happens when the loads arrive at the
    Kearl oil sands in Canada.

    While I'm not unsympathetic to the broader implications, I think it's
    inappropriate to try to block the transportation of these loads through
    Moscow simply because you might disagree with the end result. In my book,
    doing so is akin to stopping a funeral procession on its way to the
    cemetery because you disagree with burial as a way to care for our dead.

    At their May 16 meeting, the City Council discussed the megaload issue
    after a very informative and thoughtful presentation by City Supervisor
    Gary Reidner. At the end of the presentation, Councilman Walter Steed made
    the motion to accept the report and, at the same time, invite ExxonMobil
    to use our hotels, buy fuel and food and make Moscow their resting point
    once the loads reach the Latah-Benewah County line.

    Each council member made well-reasoned arguments in favor of letting the
    loads pass through Moscow. Dan Carscallen pointed out we already have
    200-foot loads move through Moscow in the middle of the night when several
    chip trucks get traveling in a convoy, and Sue Scott said there is plenty
    of noise created downtown by the closing bells at Mingles and the Corner
    Club.

    Steed's motion ultimately passed despite the strong objections of Mayor
    Nancy Chaney. Since then our councilors have taken some pretty heavy and
    unfair criticism of their actions.

    But before anyone starts making accusations or generalizations about the
    irresponsibility of our current City Council, I would remind everyone that
    the most irresponsible behavior ever shown by an elected official in
    Moscow was by none other than Mayor Nancy Chaney regarding the sale of
    water to the Hawkins development.

    In a memo dated Nov. 19, 2007, to the City Council and city administration
    (after numerous appeals to prevent water right transfers to Hawkins)
    Chaney advocated selling water to Hawkins "at a price, with conditions."
    She also attended the confidential mediation with the Hawkins Companies in
    Spokane and presented the mediation agreement to the council.

    It was only after the council voted to approve the agreement, at Chaney's
    express request no less, that she then took a strong about face and
    condemned the sale of water to Hawkins. If you want to talk about
    irresponsibility by an elected official, that one takes the cake.

    The megaload issue is truly one of facts.

    Fact - state highways, over which Moscow has very little jurisdiction, go
    through our town.

    Fact - state-federal roadways are designed to further transportation and
    interstate commerce.

    Fact - Moscow's police chief, fire chief and city streets supervisor all
    said there would be no adverse impact to public safety, fire/medical
    response time or even to the infrastructure of the roadways that the loads
    will be traveling.

    Megaloads are and should be an issue of facts and not emotions.

    The Moscow City Council deserves megakudos (with all puns intended) for
    making an educated decision based on the facts of this issue.

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

    Later, Moscow.

    Tom Hansen
    Airway Heights, Washington

    "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
    and the Realist adjusts his sails."

    - Author Unknown



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