vision2020
Shahab on soap!!
Dear friends,
I have to agree with Kens statement. I think it has been easy for us
citizens to use the government as an scapegoat. it is easy to blame others
for problems but in reality it is our responsibility to insure the well
being of our community, our state, our country, and even the entire planet.
everything that happens effects everything else. we have to start looking at
our actions more closely and understand their profound effect.
I believe that in this country, and in many others, the main problem is
apathy. I see people telling me that they are very busy but they somehow
find several hours to spend in front of the TV or browsing the NET for
garbage. it is important that we take charge and act in unity to better our
community. we should work together so that we can achieve the impossible. we
have to develop dialogs and create new ways to use the modern technology
instead of using technology to do work in the same old ways.
many of you know me personally and know that I am, in a way, anti
technology!! it may seem to be a conflict but in fact it is not. I view
technology as a mechanic views a pair of pliers. I see it as a tool. I do
not consider it a toy. I have never been a fan of video games and view TV
and listen to radio mainly for information. I do not browse the web for
anything other than information. I am not saying that this is necessarily
the right way for everyone but I do think that the entertainment industry
has brainwashed most of us to thinking that a happy person is an entertained
person. I guess I should use a different word that entertainment because
learning has always been entertaining to me... maybe that is why I went to
college for 12 years! I guess I look at pure entertainment the same way I
look at pure processed sugar; there are many calories... empty calories!!
I hope to develop the city web-site to be a great disseminator of
information. I want you to be able to find any information you need there. I
want you to like it. I want you to go there often and get information you
can use. I want you to feel good about our local government because you are
involved; I want you to kindle the fire of activism in your friends and
families so we can become a true government for the people and by the
people. our community is brimming from educated and intelligent people... we
have to harness this resource and put it to good use. we have to recreate
our society and show the rest of the world how it is done. I see so much
potential... I see the possibilities and the bright future. I see a city
who's citizens are truly active and involved and because of that proud of
THEIR town. I see a place where people are to proud to litter; I see a place
where people care too much to not lend a hand; I see a place where love and
fellowship rules and prejudice and hatred are extinguished. I see us
achieving this... together... united in an indissoluble bond of friendship
and love.
your brother in arms,
shahab...
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Medlin <dev-plan@moscow.com>
To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020@moscow.com>; Shirley Ringo
<RingoShirl@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 14, 1999 12:40 PM
Subject: Shabad's Commentary
> Dear Visionaries: The Moscow Administrator Consultant's statement
> certainly sounds plausible and is appealing to all who want to see some
> economic development move forward, among whom I count myself. However,
> between such statements of intent or purpose, and the carrying out of
> sound economic, social and political development there are some pretty
> important s processes to consider, "political correctness" to the
> contrary nothwithstanding. There are precious few community development
> sites and experiments across the Nation and around the world that exhibit
> the features of open, wholesome public participation and of fully
> responsible govt. behavior which jointly lead to the kinds of growth that
> promise community and environmental sustainability worthy of the name
> "development". Some, but not all by any means, of the criteria needed to
> test out the principle of sustainability might be --
>
> 1) what effects on the existing and future resources base (soil,
> water, air, demography, physical/ethical qualities, etc.) can be
> projected? (no allowance here for ideological preferences, just plain
> facts....)
> 2) how well are existing community institutions and the populace at
> large represented on public boards, councils, commissions, etc., and how
> open and responsive are such bodies to holding public hearings for
> genuine inputs from all those concerned and affected by development
> planning initiatives?
> 3) what is the track record, at any point in time, of existing public
> entities in consuming, digesting/using, and following through on inputs
> coming from outside sources, as compared to in-house information and data?
> 4) what efforts are/will be made to determine, through public
> disclosure and full investigation by impartial means, if public officials
> have any conflicts of interest in exisiting or planned economic
> development?
> 5) how well, in the past and at present, do public agencies involved
> in development disseminate to the public at large, through the press or
> through information handouts, what initiatives and project plans are
> being considered by them?
> 6) what are the concrete benefits to be derived, for the community as
> a WHOLE, from the planned development and from changes in community
> quality of life that will ensue? How well have such benefits been made
> known to the public at large, as against those who are directly involved
> in development decisions?
> 7) what are the projected increases in costs for services and for
> restructuring of existing service systems, roads, utilities, and the like
> in the forseeable future (20 - 30 years at least)?
> 8) how will new economic enterprises impact on those which now support
> the community, contribute to our social institutions, tax base, etc.
> (e.g., Walmart keeps how much $ in town and contributes how much to our
> charities?)
>
> There are no doubt other considerations/criteria that we could come up
> with -- I consider these to be "bare bones" of a decent governmental
> involvement in both private and public planning. One is hard put,
> however, to find much application of such criteria across the country.
> They are too ambitious and too constraining for those who hold the access
> to development capital and to governmental instrumentation. Yet, in
> defense of such criteria, one can point to the effects, across the
> landscape in America and abroad, of unprincipled development over the
> past century -- effects for which we shall be paying every higher prices
> for a long time to come. "Holistic resource management" and planning are
> virtually unknown to 99% of decision-makers who hold the strings of power
> in their hands. And the public is pretty much unaware of either their
> rights as electors or their responsibility for what ultimately occurs.
> Yes, the landscape outside the Palouse (and increasisngly to some extent
> here) is strewn with the unfortunate effects of unbridled development.
> Now, the carpet-baggers are in Treasure Valley with their 'one acre' plot
> schemes and denials of principled urban development in Boise (there shall
> be NO public transport system there, just as in most other American
> cities, as the auto and oil industries just won't have it! -- thind about
> it folk's, like who tore up the excellent rail transit system in L.A.?
> GM maybe?).Now, does this situation have anything to do with lobbyism and
> the impotence of congressional and state legislative processes? Well, the
> same relationships will govern local entities without citizen-voter
> involvement in any development policies down the road.
> Can bad development occur in the Palouse? What do you think, how
> would you prevent it, and, frankly, why do you think so? The citizens
> must do their own homework. No one will do it for them!
>
> ------------------------
> William K. Medlin
> Dev-plan associates
> 930 Kenneth Street
> Moscow ID 83843
> 208/892-0148
> dev-plan@moscow.com
>
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