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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mark, if you believe that the talk of 'no
growth' started with a few people looking for a good PR statement to get an
election you need to get out more. I didn't even know the GMA folks and I heard
many talking about the loss of business in Moscow. The loss of Walmart on the
land it would have been built on is a big loss to Moscow and I do not expect you
to agree but many and I do mean MANY in Moscow agree with me. To keep all growth
in Moscow on the other side of town and to control the traffic on this side of
town is not good for the whole city and this council is not going to change its
ways. We've waited long enough I do hope and pray that on Nov 7th they are out
of the council and we have major cause for celebration. We do have enough water
for at least 200 years and Moscow has sustained itself for many years and will
continue to do so and Yes I am sick of hearing about the lack of water also.
</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=msolomon@moscow.com href="mailto:msolomon@moscow.com">Mark
Solomon</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=keim153@gmail.com
href="mailto:keim153@gmail.com">Darrell Keim</A> ; <A
title=jeanlivingston@turbonet.com
href="mailto:jeanlivingston@turbonet.com">Bruce and Jean Livingston</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">moscow vision 2020</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, October 26, 2007 3:30
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] real economic
development in Moscow</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Darrell,</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>The perverted irony of the situation is overwhelming: the anti-business
talk comes completely from certain business people who disagreed with the
outcome of the last city election and the Thompson rezone denial which they
carried to Boise as part of the Chamber tour. Their attempt to paint Moscow
black has succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Why they would want to do
that is beyond me, but they have. It wasn't even on the radar screen before
then.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>m.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>At 3:03 PM -0700 10/26/07, Darrell Keim wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite">Bruce,</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite">Responses below:<BR><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite">On 10/25/07,<B> Bruce and Jean
Livingston</B> <<A
href="mailto:jeanlivingston@turbonet.com">jeanlivingston@turbonet.com</A>>
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Darrell, good to hear from you again.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I don't think I disagree with you on any point in this
post. And I don't see any point you make as inconsistent with my
personal feelings about the best future direction of the
city.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite"> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite">I really wasn't seeking to be inflammatory
with the post, more informational. A lot of people don't consider the
business environment and its impact on our town when they talk quality
of life.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I recognize the existence here of a healthy retail economy and
a vibrant downtown, and I acknowledge that they contribute to our quality
of life. Are you suggesting that either our local retail or business
climate is not healthy? If so, what is unhealthy and how would you
propose to make things healthier?<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite"> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite">I've talked to alot of people about this of
late, and got a lot of opinions. One of the goals I've set for myself
as the new Chamber E.D. is to meet with several of our member businesses
each week. I ask them a variety of questions, and always include this
one: "What do you think is the biggest issue facing Moscow
business?" Over half have told me they think it is the cities
anti-business reputation, be it real or simply perceived.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite"> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite">Even if the reputation is simply something
perceived, with no basis in reality, it is an impediment to business that we
need to be concerned about.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="" type="cite"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Bruce<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>----- Original Message -----</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:keim153@gmail.com">Darrell
Keim</A></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">Tom
Hansen</A></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><B>Cc:</B> <A href="mailto:idahotom@hotmail.com">Tom
Hansen</A> ; <A href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">v2020</A></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 25, 2007 2:22 PM</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] real economic development
in Moscow</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Bill et al:</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I was at the MCA's recent economic forum. I found it
to be very interesting in both what was addressed, and what
wasn't. I felt the panelists did a fair job of describing
what aspects of Moscow drew them to locate here. Nice parks,
short/no commute, culture, universities, etc. If pushed, I think
the panelists would summarize what brought them as quality of
life. Also mentioned as reasons for coming to Moscow were Alturas
and the Small Business Incubator.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I liked what BJ Swanson had to say about the importance of
bringing in higher paying jobs (The example in her case being tech.
jobs. Other types of high paying jobs create the same
phenomenon). Essentially, she advocated for working to bring in
higher paying jobs, and that retail businesses would follow. I
think I can accurately quote her as saying "You can't build an economy
on retail jobs alone."</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Or, as Stu Scott said at another recent economic forum
(paraphrasing again), some businesses re-circulate and slightly magnify
the dollar. To truly grow the economy you've got to manufacture
something. (The same forum mentioned something like $1.15 going
into the economy for every $1 spent at a local chain store. And,
$1.25 going into the local economy for every dollar spent at a locally
owned merchant. I digress...)</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I can agree with almost all of the above discussed at the
forum. I would add that Moscow has traditionally "manufactured"
education and agriculture. The UI and agriculture have been our
biggest "factories." And, just as BJ's model predicts, those high
paying education and ag. "factories" brought in what we currently
have for a business climate.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Now for the part that I found interesting because of its
absence:</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>How is quality of life defined?</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>How does our local business climate fit into the quality of
life picture?</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><I>The above, it seems to me, is the crux of our current
civic debate.</I></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>So, how is quality of life defined?</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Ask a hundred people and get a hundred different
answers.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>The panelists listed as quality of life indicators such
things as: parks, walkability, little traffic. Quality of life
must have something else to it, too. If quality of life is ONLY
the items listed by the forum, then I humbly suggest that Garfield and
Oakesdale also fit the bill quite nicely to become hotbeds of
technological development.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Hopefully you understand the above was sarcasm.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I believe there is another, as yet unmentioned, aspect
of quality of life. I submit that what makes Moscow's quality of
life so good is the great combination we have of parks, traffic, etc;
with our engaged citizenry, and good local economy.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>How does our local business climate fit into the quality of
life picture?</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>In a lot of ways, our existing businesses are what
make our quality of life possible:</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Businesses provide the jobs that allow people to live
here.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Businesses pay taxes helping to make our parks and
infrastructure possible. (Incidentally, the businesses also make it
possible for the people that live here to pay taxes.)</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Businesses make it possible for us to get our
"necessities" locally.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I'm sure others can come up with more to add to the
list.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Smart businesses looking to locate here realize they won't
be operating in a vacuum. They look at ALL of our local business
and social environment before deciding to grow here. They look
from a business perspective at our city government, infrastructure,
parks, ecology, businesses already present, etc. </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Smart businesses also look at a bigger picture beyond
"bottom line" items. They look from a social perspective to see if
their employees will be happy living in the community, again looking at
our city government, infrastructure, parks, ecology, businesses already
present, etc. Both perspectives must be promising for it to be a
strong match.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Moscow would be unattractive to high wage paying
employers if we did not already have a strong mix of local businesses
and retail stores.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>To put it simply, prospective businesses are
looking to grow their new "factories" on the shoulders of what is
already here.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I strongly believe in working to bring in high paying
jobs. To do so we must be aware of what about our existing
structure is going to be an attractor, and we must work to keep it
healthy.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Later,</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Darrell</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><BR><FONT color=#550055>> R-<BR>> You missed the
point.<BR>> These high-tech jobs can go anywhere. All towns
want them.<BR>> The entrepreneurs can be choosy, and they are choosy.
They want towns with<BR>> a high quality of life.<BR>> If
Moscow sacrifices its high quality of life for (what you describe
as)<BR>> "almost anything that will provide jobs, increase the tax
base and improve<BR>> the overall economy", then we lose what now
attracts these high-tech jobs.<BR>> You just can not have it both
ways.<BR>> I want to live in a town that maintains its high quality
of life and<BR>> therefore is attractive to high-tech jobs --
not a town that has no<BR>> standards but goes for any
growth.<BR>> BL</FONT><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
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