FW: Fire Station

["Shahab Mesbah" <meteor2@moscow.com>]

I agree all the way! I believe the current proposed location for the station
is another example of shortsighted management that has been the hallmark of
our city! I fail to see why we are in such a rush to build this station if
the need is not immediate. I think it would be much wiser to take a while
and analyze the real costs and benefits as well as the best location for the
new station. I am generally dismayed that historically building in the city
has been governed by extremes. For a long time there were very few new
building going on in Moscow and more recently we went crazy expanding too
much. Now that there is a saturation of the market the values of the houses
re going down. This is poor investment management. I am not suggesting that
we should not build at all... I am suggesting moderation! Why do we have to
operate in the extremes? It all goes back to the general management of the
city. Our problem is that our elected city government is without real power.
The power is in the information. Despite earnest attempts by individuals to
disseminate information and create systems for its automation those who
benefit by the public ignorance have thwarted such attempts.

Like it or not a city is much like a business... it needs a manager. That
manager will have to make decisions that will affect the whole city. S/he
defines the real path for the organization. Most of us are under the
impression that we have a strong council form of government and this is
technically true. The true strength, however, is in the information. The
council can be easily manipulated (and is) by the alteration or even the
presentation of information. Who actually runs the city? Follow the
information trail and you will be lead right to him!

"Your brother in arms"
Shahab...


-----Original Message-----
From: WMSteed@aol.com [mailto:WMSteed@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 10:10 AM
To: jonk@moscow.com; JDANAHY@turbonet.com; mjmiller@moscow.com;
vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: Re: Fire Station

OK.  I just talked to the Idaho State Rating Bureau.  After reading them
item1 on the "Fire Station Fact Sheet" they said not building the proposed
station "at this time" would not impact Moscow's protection rating.  It
would make a difference when and if Moscow expands out from its proposed
location.
More specifically, engine companies need to be 1.5 road miles from the
property they are protecting and ladder companies 2.5 road miles.  This
means
that engine company stations can be as much as three (3) road miles apart
and
ladder companies five (5) road miles apart.  The proposed site is 1.2 miles
from the downtown station..  Wouldn't it seem that in case of Moscow's
expansion, in 5, 10, 15, 20 years, perhaps a better location from a rating
aspect would be further North?

Granted there are other factors that go into fire ratings but all we are
talking about here is the proposed fire station.  It's now occurred to me
that we could be faced with future bond issues for trucks to fill the spaces
created by the proposed station.

Several of us have found that the argument that insurance rates will
increase
if Moscow's protection ratings change is not necessarily the case.

Yes, in case of a fire or a heart attack we would all like a station next
door; but would we wish to pay for it?  That seems to be the real question
that should be before the voters. (and several have questioned who should be
included as a voter, and subsequent bond payer, on this issue.)

This station appears to be a want rather than a factual need.

Walter Steed >>