Fw: Fw: Alturas Technology Park

["Fairco" <faircominimart@turbonet.com>]

Hope this gets "through".....

----- Original Message -----
From: <vision2020-request@moscow.com>
To: <jthom@moscow.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 8:44 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Alturas Technology Park


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> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Fairco" <faircominimart@turbonet.com>
> To: "Bill Strand" <strand@pacsim.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 8:35 PM
> Subject: Re: Alturas Technology Park
>
>
> > Thankfully, those individuals buy fuel and wash their cars on the
eastside
> > of Moscow.  I really appreciate their business.
> >
> > On another subject,  many on this list like to bash the Bennett family
> > businesses and other "developers" in the community.  Please remember the
> > Bennett's, the banks, and many others support so many community projects
> > such as Summer Theatre, Festival Dance, youth baseball, Moscow Fire Dept
> and
> > ambulance service and other needs for the community.  If these people
were
> > to leave the area or stop supporting the community projects, who will
step
> > up provide the dollars for all these worthwhile projects?
> >
> > We all contribute in different ways to the "quality of life" of Moscow.
> > Wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same?
> >
> > Judi Thompson
> > Tesoro Petroleum
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bill Strand" <strand@pacsim.com>
> > To: "'Greg Brown'" <gregb@alaskapacific.edu>; <vision2020@moscow.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 5:21 PM
> > Subject: RE: Alturas Technology Park
> >
> >
> > > Greg,
> > >
> > > In an earlier post you wrote to me:
> > >
> > > "I'm pleased that your business has been able to endure and succeed.
I'm
> > not
> > > convinced the Moscow community would not have otherwise helped without
> > > Alturas"
> > >
> > > You seem to know little about our business or its history in the
> > community.
> > > Pacific Simulation was the first commercial tenant in the Technology
> > > Incubator. We worked for over five years to try to develop a
> "graduation"
> > > from the incubator to a facility that would allow us growth potential.
> > There
> > > was a long list of failed attempts that had us looking at other
> locations
> > in
> > > Idaho. It was a select few individuals in the Moscow and Pullman
> > communities
> > > that stepped up to the plate to help. That help was partly in the form
> of
> > > Alturas.
> > >
> > > I don't always agree with the tactics that are used to accomplish the
> > goals
> > > of economic development in Moscow, but tactics are often required when
> > > proposed strategies are not implemented, fail or are just plain
> > > unreasonable. As for your comment about gambling in business - welcome
> to
> > > the world outside academia. Few areas are afforded the protection
> enjoyed
> > by
> > > higher education. But the health of this community is dependent upon
> > > economic success on a number of fronts - not just the University.
> > >
> > > In your more recent email to B.J. Swanson you wrote:
> > >
> > > "  You claim that economic benefits exceed $3 million annually.  Who
> > > *specifically* in the community receives this benefit?"
> > >
> > > Is this a serious question? If it is, the answer is most everybody who
> > lives
> > > in Moscow. Let's see. I get my food at Tidymans, my car was bought at
> the
> > > Toyota car lot, I pay my taxes to Moscow City, I voted for the school
> > levy,
> > > I play pool at Mingles and buy my fishing gear at Tri State. Mike
> Sprenger
> > > built our building and also renovated my bathroom. Almost all my
> employees
> > > live in town and spend their money here in Moscow. That is where that
$3
> > > million goes - into our community.
> > >
> > > Let's get down to brass tacks here. There are three real issues:
> > >
> > > 1. Has Alturas made or lost money for the community of Moscow? - Well
we
> > > seem to argue a lot about this one.
> > > 2. Does Moscow want businesses like Pacific Simulation and Anatek Labs
> to
> > > stay in the community or move elsewhere?
> > > 3. If Moscow wants to keep businesses like these, is there a "better"
> way
> > > than Alturas to place these companies. Certainly not downtown. We
> > evaluated
> > > four sites downtown between 1992 - 1995. Where would we put 10,000 sq
> feet
> > > with parking for 40 people? And I'm not talking about disconnected
> office
> > > space. So how about the old Moscow Mall or the old Ernst building at
> > Palouse
> > > Empire Mall? No offence meant towards the owners of these spaces, but
> > > relocating an engineering company to an abandoned retail space was NOT
> in
> > > the best interest of our company.
> > >
> > > I would have liked to have heard a viable plan that fit the need of
the
> > > technology businesses in this area. Over the years, I have head lots
of
> > > high-minded, 50,000 foot strategies but no one ever drives these
> > strategies
> > > to the ground level where it actually benefits the community and the
> > > businesses that make up the community. If we waited for these
> "strategies"
> > > to actually occur, I would have to uproot 25 families and an entire
> > > business. And almost all of our employees had roots in this community
> > prior
> > > to coming to Pacific Simulation.
> > >
> > > Everybody seems to describe business development in nice abstract
terms.
> > > Nobody seems to want to talk about the actual companies it affects and
> the
> > > individuals it involves.
> > >
> > > B.C. Strand
> > > Technical Operations Manager
> > > Invensys Pacific Simulation
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>