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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Runner breaks record for Mt. Shasta ascent ... Mushroom poachers busted at Crater Lake ... Couple befriends crow rescued on Main Street ... Runner breaks record for Mt. Shasta ascent ... Mushroom poachers busted at Crater Lake ... Couple befriends crow rescued on Main Street ... COUNCIL CORNER Council Corner: Vacation musings Comment By Michael Morris DailyTidings.com By Michael Morris Posted Jun. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Michael Morris Posted Jun. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News After spending a week on the Oregon coast, not checking emails and with limited cell service, it was quite a jolt to return to the reality and the politics of Ashland and the rest of the world. Two council meeting packets to study, agendas and other meetings to prepare for, stacks of emails to read, meeting videos to review, news to read and then there are the work items that are always there. Wherever I go anymore it seems I can never really get away. Although the ocean is pretty close to it, I find there are no real vacations (unless I wander off into the mountains with the dog and backpack for several days). I can avoid the emails, phone calls and texts, but that is not everything. I can’t seem to avoid the constant looking at places I visit for comparisons to Ashland, (the problem of an engineering background I guess — always analyzing). What works, what doesn’t work, why things work where they do and don’t work where they don’t. It’s not just the physical attributes of the space, how sidewalks connect, building heights and styles fit together, if traffic patterns work and the functionality of open spaces. Beyond the “structural” side of a place is how it feels. Do I feel comfortable here? Does the place feel inviting? Is it real, does it have character and depth or just a facade? Are the people friendly? Are they happy here? Every place does it differently, and that uniqueness makes it worth the trip for the most part. Some places get it and some don’t quite make it. It is not just about the built environment but it is also not just the people. Both are related. One definitely affects the other and the integration of the two is what makes things really work. You can build the environment and people may come, but there is something else that has to happen for a place to be successful. I am thinking that “something else” is what happens when people work hard together towards a common goal of making a place better for everyone. They now have a stake in its future. Not to say everyone has to agree, but everyone needs to be respectful — you are never very far away from the person you were just at odds with here — and everyone must actually want a solution, even if it means not getting all you want. Arguing just to be heard uses up a lot of time. Look back at the evolution of Siskiyou Boulevard. Those decisions define much of the city today. The Chautauqua, Shakespeare and the Carnegie Library, just a few but all were battles that added to the character and the defining of who we are as a community, and little of it was easy. In many cases, people opposed on one issue could later work together on other issues and agree on outcomes . Many of those outcomes that we are privileged to enjoy today are why many of us live here. I’ve been in places where, when I tell people where I am from, they say to me, “It must be nice to live where people are willing to invest in their community.” My reply is that it has its ups an downs, but compared to the alternative of community non-involvement, it’s a lot of work but I’ll take it. It also makes a vacation wear off pretty fast if one’s not careful. Michael Morris is a member of the Ashland City Council. By Michael Morris DailyTidings.com By Michael Morris Posted Jun. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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