The City this week, July 9-16, 2001 An Occasional View from a Council Member

["Linda Pall" <lpall@moscow.com>]

Dear Visionaries,

 

Since I regularly whine about lack of citizen participation, I thought these comments might encourage you and your friends to check out what's happening in the city. Pass them to whomever you think might be interested. I'll try to do this on a weekly basis. Please note that my opinions are laced throughout and I welcome your ideas and comments. If you want the entire Vision 2020 readership to hear what you have to say, punch reply all. If you just want me to have your comments, reply to mailto:lpall@moscow.com

 

In my first incarnation as a city council member from 1977-83, I had regular city council office hours where people could come in and chat. Now, since 1993, with my law office on First and Washington, feel free to call or stop by. (882-7255)

 

Paradise Path Taskforce:  The Path Taskforce is having a GREAT potluck to court potential new task force members and anyone who is interested in the Path at Kiwanis Hordeman Pond Park on Eisenhower STreet at 5:30 PM Tuesday, July 10 (that's TOMORROW!!!). The Taskforce has developed the Berman Creekside Park, coordinated work with the University on the path near Sweet Avenue and connections to the Chipman Trail and the Latah Trail and we're looking at making the rest of the connections along Paradise Creek through to Mountain View Park as well as other trail options in other parts of the community. Join us with a dish to share, beverage and a table service TOMORROW at 5:30 PM!

 

Money, Money, Money! (aka the Moscow City Budget): Maybe the most important single action the Council takes is about to be discussed in a workshop next Monday, July 16, beginning at 8 AM or thereabouts (I'll supply the exact time) in the Council Chambers in City Hall and going for the entire day.

 

Curious about street expenditures? Anxious to see the Downtown Renewal effort followed through? Concerned about park land acquisition (for example to complete the Paradise Creek segments of the Paradise Path)? It's all in the great big budget book, available for your review before the workshop by going to the Third Floor of City Hall and asking to see it any time during business hours. You can also stop by my office where my copy is available. Call first to make sure I'm on the premises. 

 

Dream Team II: The second incarnation of the Dream Team, the city and citizen committee the Mayor has appointed to make recommendations to the Council on how to make the best use of the Hamilton bequest will meet at 4 PM Wednesday, July 12, in the Council Chambers.

 

The continuing discussion of what, how and under what conditions do we want an activity center adjacent and/or connected to the Aquatics Center will go forward. The architectural firm that is helping with this project will have a representative there. Issues include configuration (is there any economy associated with connection to the Aqautics Center?), retractable pool cover (It's a shame to ahve a four million dollar facility lidle none months of the year; our survey showed the folks would like to use the facility year round but can we afford the maintenance even if we can afford the installation?), and financing (how can we use the Hamilton funds as security to preserve their availability for the future rather than just writing a check?). 

 

We're also looking at the joint school district/city playfield project on Joseph and Mountainview. Many of the same issues, including financing, are part of this. And never let it be said we didn't think about maintenance and operation: what are our options and capabilities? You'll like the members of the Dreamteam II: they include university recreation specialists, parks and rec people, people who worked with Bob Hamilton, and the council and mayor... all with interesting perspectives and all concerned to make the most of this once-in-a-city's-lifetime opportunity! Join the meeting and observe the conversations!

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's (oops, it's the Quarterly Regional Breakfast Meeting at the University Inn Best Western but at the princely sum of $13.00 per head, you'd think it was Tiffany's!): Mostly every first Wednesday morning (but this time the second Wednesday morning), the Mayor and COuncil, University Administration representatives, Moscow School District Board members and administrators and the County Commissioners and senior staff get together to let each other know what's going on. Once each quarter we invite our Whitman COunty counterparts. That's what's up WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 at 7:00 AM. The topic is "Rural Development in Latah COunty." (Yes, all this and big bucks breakfast too.) You don't have to eat; there will be chairs available to listen to the presentation which usually begins about 7:15 or so. (I'm always amazed that these events don't have a vegetarian alternative for those of us who do not eat pork or who might be vegetarians... whine, whine, whine.) It's worth your time to meet these folks. Even though it's Latah County rural development (which I trust is not just economic development but housing, community encouragement, youth activities, recreation and all the rest that is rural development as well as living wage jobs), I think it would be interesting to hear from the Whitman County people about corridor plans. Is there any end to the supposed need for miniwarehouses? And could they be located in some place other than the most traveled road on the Palouse? Opps, there's editorial content here... beware!

 

Downtown Renewal!  The new director of the  Latah Economic Development Council, Barbara Richardson, is a one-woman whirlwind, spark plug, hypodermic needle... whatever image you want for someone who has great ideas, vision, and capacity to bring people together to accomplish things. You can reach her and the EDC by e-mail:
edc@moscow.com

The renewal consultants will be back soon to do some important work and data gathering. Stay tuned... Several very exciting possibilities exist for downtown and connection to the university. One of the most important ones is the very critical piecve of property that is owned by the Latah Grain Growers on Sixth STreet and toward the creek. I, for one, hope the university and the grain growers can put their heads together and consider "Creekside," a sort of San Antonio-North idea where commercial businesses could also look over the creek, maybe walkways, who knows? maybe with the 'hotel' idea that has been floated. My own desire is to convince the Hyatt chain to do a new kind of boutique hotel for university communities close to downtown, i.e. the Sixth STreet property, that could be replicated in other land grant university towns, a ready market. Ah, but I digress. (Is anybody still reading? Bless you!)

 

NEXT COUNCIL MEETING: Annexation and University Parking Plans for City Streets...  The next Council meeting is Monday, July 16 at 7:30 PM during which the issues of annexation of properties completely surrounded by the city will be taken up. Also on our docket is the University's parking plan that includes requiring and issuing permits for parking on city streets. I am not keen on this proposal and I am REALLY NOT KEEN on giving up city streets to parking permits when we have not had an opportunity to be part of the extended conversation and find out how all citizens, including non-university city residents, university students, faculty and Greek Row residents, feel about this, as well as the university administration. My hope is that we will hold back on this part of the plan until we have had an opportunity to have that community dialogue. It will not materially alter the university's activities where they have control of streets and parking lots but will probably require some explanation on prematurely printed maps.

 

Your views are important and welcome. Stay tuned; get in tune; we need and welcome your perspective.

 

All the best,

Linda

Moscow City Council Member