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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Oh I do agree. Comparing the Food Co-op to Macys or
Target certainly doesn't strike a chord with me either. And it also seems to me
that negotiating with Whitman County to be a partner in our own demise is at
least silly and at worst treason. Wouldn't the County government have some
say in all of this. I haven't read the article. We get the paper
online here, but that just isn't the same as holding it in my hands along with a
steaming cup of Kona coffee. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Sue</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=kjajmix1@msn.com href="mailto:kjajmix1@msn.com">keely emerinemix</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com
href="mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com">Donovan Arnold</A> ; <A
title=london@moscow.com href="mailto:london@moscow.com">Bill London</A> ; <A
title=vision2020@moscow.com href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">v2020</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 13, 2008 7:20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Will Moscow
support Hawkins sprawl-mall?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I'm astonished at the equation of a locally-owned (and owned by
its customers) food co-op that lives out its mission of sustainable, healthy,
locally-produced and fairly traded products -- one that "recycled" a vacant
building and improved it while still making it accessible to its community by
locating downtown -- with a huge shopping mall.<BR><BR>I don't think there's
enough caffeine in the world to have that one make sense . . .
<BR><BR>Keely<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<HR>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:36:39 -0800<BR>From:
donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com<BR>To: london@moscow.com;
vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Will Moscow support
Hawkins sprawl-mall?<BR><BR>
<DIV>Mr, London makes the following arguments against a new shopping center
on the edge of town:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"If the <SPAN class=EC_yshortcuts id=EC_lw_1200215836_1
style="BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,102,204) 1px dashed; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial">Moscow</SPAN>
council ships utilities across the state line to enable this strip
mall, <SPAN class=EC_yshortcuts id=EC_lw_1200215836_2
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,102,204) 1px dashed">Moscow</SPAN> will face a
series of problems, including:</DIV>
<DIV>--depletion of the aquifer that supplies this town with most of
its water</DIV>
<DIV>--massive sprawl that will further uglify the Palouse and ravage
existing downtown vitality</DIV>
<DIV>--bankruptcy of <SPAN class=EC_yshortcuts id=EC_lw_1200215836_3
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,102,204) 1px dashed">Moscow</SPAN> businesses
unable to compete with this new shopping mall </DIV>
<DIV>--continuing future upgrades of <SPAN class=EC_yshortcuts
id=EC_lw_1200215836_4
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,102,204) 1px dashed">Moscow</SPAN>
infrastructure to cover the demands made by this extension of services,
upgrades that will be paid for by <SPAN class=EC_yshortcuts
id=EC_lw_1200215836_5
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,102,204) 1px dashed">Moscow</SPAN>
taxpayers</DIV>
<DIV>Is this what Moscow residents really want?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As I understand it, Mr. London strongly supported the expansion of the
Co-Op, not once, but twice to larger buildings that further deplete the
town's water aquifers, increased sprawl of other businesses to the outside
of town, created more competition with other businesses in the area,
and forcing future upgrades of Moscow's infrastructure to be paid for
by Moscow taxpayers. So I would argue what is good for goose must also be
for the gander. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Is this what Moscow wants?" I bet it is. If it isn't, then we will
have a vacant building on the edge of town. I willing to venture out on a
limb, and say those that putting millions into a building of new shopping
center aren't doing it on a guess, but in fact put as much research into it
as Mr. London did for the expansions of his Co-Op grocery store. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I think it would be a significant advantage to have a mall on the
western edge of Moscow accepts and competes with the big chain only stores
in the Palouse Empire Mall that prohibits local businesses from leasing
there. I also think it would allow other chains in Spokane to locate here,
and provide jobs to local students and residents, increasing wages and
competition for quality laborers rather than providing them to people in
Spokane. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Donovan</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR><B><I>Bill London <london@moscow.com></I></B>
wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=EC_replbq
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">
<STYLE>
</STYLE>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV>Won't it be grand? The Moscow-Pullman Highway turned into one
long strip mall.....</DIV>
<DIV>And you can read in today's Lewiston Tribune (below) that the first
big step in that direction will likely soon be taken. The new Moscow
City Council is under pressure to sell use of Moscow utilities (like
sewage and water, and possibly police/fire protection) to the planned
Hawkins shopping center located in Washington state on the Moscow-Pullman
Highway. The new council members (pragmatic politicians that they
are) seem to be willing to ignore the real issues and fall for a
cheap payoff.</DIV>
<DIV>If the Moscow council ships utilities across the state line to
enable this strip mall, Moscow will face a series of problems,
including:</DIV>
<DIV>--depletion of the aquifer that supplies this town with most of
its water</DIV>
<DIV>--massive sprawl that will further uglify the Palouse and ravage
existing downtown vitality</DIV>
<DIV>--bankruptcy of Moscow businesses unable to compete with this new
shopping mall </DIV>
<DIV>--continuing future upgrades of Moscow infrastructure to cover
the demands made by this extension of services, upgrades that will be paid
for by Moscow taxpayers</DIV>
<DIV>Is this what Moscow residents really want?</DIV>
<DIV>BL</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-----------------------------------------
</DIV>
<DIV>LEWISTON TRIBUNE</DIV>
<DIV>Council shift changes outlook for proposed Hawkins development</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_byline>By David Johnson </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_date>Saturday, January 12, 2008</DIV>
<DIV><BR>MOSCOW - Politics here may have shifted enough after the November
election to trigger talks about the city providing water and sewer
services across the state line for the proposed Hawkins Co. shopping
center.</DIV>
<DIV>A majority of Moscow city councilors, Whitman County commissioners
and a spokesman for Hawkins told the Lewiston Tribune there's renewed
potential for cooperation.</DIV>
<DIV>This despite Moscow's continued legal challenge of Hawkins' attempts
to secure water rights to drill its own wells for the 700,000-square-foot
shopping mall.</DIV>
<DIV>The situation comes as the first of two public comment meetings has
been scheduled in Colfax on Monday. The county commissioners will take
comments, beginning at 1:30 p.m., regarding Hawkins' recent request for
Whitman County to float revenue bonds of more than $10 million to help
fund infrastructure (including water and sewer) for the development.</DIV>
<DIV>A Whitman County pro-business citizens group, meanwhile, Friday
endorsed the proposed bond issue and called on Moscow officials to drop
their water rights appeal against Hawkins.</DIV>
<DIV>"It's clear Moscow's appeals are not about water but about keeping
out particular kinds of businesses," April Coggins, spokeswoman for
Businesses and Residents for Economic Opportunity wrote in a news release.
"That attitude was rejected by Moscow voters in November and it is our
hope that the new Moscow city council will see things differently and seek
to cooperate with their neighbors."</DIV>
<DIV>Moscow's waterlines extend right up to the Hawkins property, and the
sewage treatment plant is located nearby.</DIV>
<DIV>"Hawkins is always open to talking to the city of Moscow," said Jeff
De Voe, project manager for the proposed shopping center. He declined
further comment because of the pending legal appeal.</DIV>
<DIV>It remains unclear how much money Moscow might make (through fees) or
Hawkins might save if the two entities can reach an agreement about water
and sewer services. But City Attorney Randy Fife and Public Works Director
Les McDonald confirmed that a hookup of services is both legal and
technically possible.</DIV>
<DIV>Whitman County Commissioners Jerry Finch and Greg Partch, who
continue to champion the Hawkins project as the beginning of retail
development between here and Pullman, said it's time for Moscow to either
join ranks or get out of the way.</DIV>
<DIV>"Moscow didn't say no, they said hell no," Finch said about the
city's refusal to cooperate with development of the mall. "Before the
election, it's pretty obvious the door had been slammed."</DIV>
<DIV>Three new Moscow councilors were elected in November and appear to
have become part of a five-member, pro-business majority. The three,
Walter Steed, Dan Carscallen and Wayne Krauss, along with council
President Bill Lambert, all said they are willing to talk with Hawkins and
Whitman County officials about water and sewer services. Councilor John
Weber couldn't be reached for comment, but indicated in the past he favors
cooperation.</DIV>
<DIV>Only Councilor Tom Lamar, who has gone on record opposing retail
development in the corridor, balked at renewed talks. "I think the best
way for Hawkins to tap into our sewer and water is to locate in Moscow,"
Lamar said.</DIV>
<DIV>Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney, who's been accused of spearheading efforts
to thwart the Hawkins project, said her intentions are rooted in
environmental and groundwater concerns. That was confirmed by McDonald.
"The mayor's driving concern," he said, "is the water resource that the
whole region relies upon.</DIV>
<DIV>"Moscow has always been open to talking," said Chaney, adding that
the table for such discussion has already been set through the water
rights appeal. She said the city has proposed mediation as a means of
settling the issue.</DIV>
<DIV>But Partch said talks, if they happen, shouldn't happen in a legal
arena. Withdrawal of the appeal, he said, would be the best way for Moscow
to show good faith. "That would be a huge gesture on their part," he said,
"and we would certainly like to work with them."</DIV>
<DIV>The water rights appeal hearings are scheduled to begin in
March.</DIV>
<DIV>"You can't build without water," Finch said, adding that many people
think Chaney is simply using the water issue as the only legal lever
available to stop retail development in the corridor. "She's the one who
seems to be dead set against it."</DIV>
<DIV>A shopping center, said Finch and Partch, is not necessarily a big
water consumer. But it would surely be a big revenue producer for the
county.</DIV>
<DIV>According to county records, the undeveloped Hawkins acreage, which
abuts the Moscow city limits and the Washington-Idaho state line,
currently generates about $1,400 in annual tax revenue. If the mall is
developed to full capacity, it could produce nearly $1.8 million in annual
property and sales taxes for the county, De Voe told the commissioners
when making his pitch for the $10 million in infrastructure bonds.</DIV>
<DIV>While Moscow couldn't directly tap into those tax dollars, councilors
here said the city might be able to negotiate a fee for water and sewer
services that translates into a profit.</DIV>
<DIV>"If it's going to happen and we can sell them something," Lambert
said, "why not?"</DIV>
<DIV>"I'm very anxious to get together with entities across the border,"
said Krauss.</DIV>
<DIV>"I would be interested in talking about the possibility of extending
services to Hawkins," Steed said.</DIV>
<DIV>"I think that I would," Carscallen said about talking. Whether
Hawkins connects to Moscow or drills its own wells, he said, doesn't seem
to make a lot of difference. "They're going to get it out of the same tub
we're getting ours."</DIV>
<DIV>Researchers have said the underground aquifers on the Palouse have
been steadily dropping. But, lacking data about just how much water is
available, the same scientists have said a water management challenge is
at hand, not a crisis.</DIV>
<DIV>Finch suggested its up to Moscow officials, since they've filed the
appeal against Hawkins, to propose new talks. "If they send us a letter, I
would find it more receptive," he said.</DIV>
<DIV>But Lambert said the catalyst for talks might have to come from
elsewhere. "I don't see why it would hurt for these people to approach us.
Somebody has to generate it, but it wouldn't be something generated by the
council, per se."</DIV>
<DIV>Moscow City Supervisor Gary Riedner said the city might reach out. "I
will do what we can to facilitate it at the mayor's direction."</DIV>
<DIV>"I know lots of people are talking about talking," Fife said.</DIV>
<DIV>De Voe, meanwhile, told Whitman County officials that his company
wants to begin construction this summer. As proposed, the shopping complex
would be anchored by a Lowe's home improvement center.</DIV>
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