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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Five Questions from Joan Opyr answered by City Council candidate Aaron
Ament</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>1.) Would you support
a two-year moratorium on any elected official doing business and/or bidding on
a contract with the city after he or she has left office?</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>1.] Yes.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I am not sure it would be legal.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I am not sure it would be enforceable.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I do believe the message sent would be
unmistakable and clear.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Don’t
serve the city to serve yourself.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>2.) Would you enforce
existing city code even if such enforcement were painful, uncomfortable, or not
politically expedient? <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>2.] Yes.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>When
the code places an unreasonable or unintended burden on a citizen, that citizen
can appeal to the Board of Adjustment.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>If a part of the code is not intended to be enforced it should be
changed.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>3.) What is your
position on the </span></font><st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Third</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName>Street</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType>Bridge</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>?</p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>3.] The only bridge I could support connecting </span></font><st1:Street><st1:address>Third
Street</st1:address></st1:Street> with <st1:City><st1:place>Mountain View</st1:place></st1:City>
would carry only bicycles and pedestrians.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>The gentle grade of <st1:Street><st1:address>Third Street</st1:address></st1:Street>
makes it ideal for bicycle traffic.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Putting in such a bridge would signal the commitment of <st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
to alternative forms of transportation.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>If the motor vehicle
bridge performed as promised it would:</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>1} Increase traffic on
Third between Washington and Jackson; intersections at best barely able handle
present traffic.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>2} Increase traffic
past </span></font><st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Moscow</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Senior
High School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>East</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType>City</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceType>Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
and Lena Whitmore Elementary [less than a block off Third]. <span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This increased use would increase the danger
to students and those enjoying <st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>’s
premier park.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>3} Destroy the
“Quality of Life” for those directly affected and signal to other
neighborhoods that there is no protection for them, either.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>4.) What do you
believe are the most difficult issues facing ethnic and racial minorities in
our community? <span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Also, what are the most
challenging issues faced by women, gays and lesbians, and the economically
disenfranchised? </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>4.] Ethnic and racial
minorities as well as women, gays, lesbians, trans-gender, the economically
disenfranchised and others not part of any of those groups face problems common
to us all.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Finding a job that pays a
living wage; health care; adequate housing; education for ourselves and our
children: these are among the problems that face us all.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>The small size of our
town must make it difficult for some groups that are deemed different to find
the support of others likewise deemed different.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I think we have a large gay and lesbian
population, large enough to provide acceptance and support even if it is denied
by the population as a whole.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>That is
not necessarily the case for members of ethnic and racial minorities or for
those among us that are trans-gender.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>The small population
of </span></font><st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City> must also
magnify the prejudice of those that will not hire or house or even interact
with any who are deemed different.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The
fact that some among us can openly despise others of us different only in
sexual preference, race or place of birth and still be considered upstanding
members of the community is unconscionable.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>It is also a danger to all.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>That women are
regarded and treated as less than men is a mystery I cannot fathom.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Equal pay, equal rights and equal treatment
for women are an issue world wide, so it is certainly an issue here in </span></font><st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>This has been the most
difficult question for me and much of the reason for my slow response. <span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I cannot know the answer to this question; I
can only try to imagine the difficulties of those singled out as different.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The thought that I could be considered
somehow less worthy by virtue of birth is to me the greatest burden those
deemed different are asked to bear.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I
have friends and acquaintances among those groups and I can only hope they will
continue to befriend me and help me grow as a human being.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>5.) What are </span></font><st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>’s
three greatest opportunities in the next five years?</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>5.] 1} Building a sustainable
local economy.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Not by merely shopping
and buying local but whenever possible by producing local.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>When we do invite business into our town it
must be business that brings with it living wage jobs, not jobs that drain our
resources.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>More of each dollar spent in
a locally owned business circulates around </span></font><st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>,
creating yet more value in our community.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>We should concentrate on building a local economy dependent on our own
hard work and enterprise, not one dependent on the whim of foreign interests.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>2} Whether it is a new
comprehensive plan or minor adjustments to the present plan, five years spent
working toward and adhering to a shared vision of Moscow would go a long way
toward ensuring a chance of living in that vision.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Together we must identify the future </span></font><st1:City><st1:place>Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
we want and together we must make the sometimes difficult decisions that will
make it real.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'> </span>3} We should build a
community that celebrates as well as acknowledges the diversity that is our
strength.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>A community that accepts all
members is a community that can make use of the contributions and talents of
all its members.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>We cannot know what
challenges the future holds for us, but we can be sure we will be best prepared
to face those challenges if we do it together.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Aaron Ament</span></font></p>
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