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1 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 Guest Opinion: AHS incident was not a crime ... Chris Honoré: A political potpourri revisited ... SOU dorm rooms flooded after student breaks sprinkler head ... Guest Opinion: AHS incident was not a crime ... Chris Honoré: A political potpourri revisited ... SOU dorm rooms flooded after student breaks sprinkler head ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, Oct. 8 Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Oct. 8, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Oct. 8, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Mayor blames citizens Our mayor does his cause (improving communication) no good by blaming the citizens of his community. Although he wraps his comments in the sanctity of "facts," and makes a plea for us citizens to get ours more clearly under our belt, he ignores what should be some of the lessons of recent contentions in the body politic of the community. It is a fact that our once green and lovely Plaza has been made sterile and less pleasant. It is a fact that we proclaimed the cottonwood tree of lower Clay Street to be a winner of the Ashland Tree of The Year award, and then the city proceeded to tell us that the future of affordable housing in our town will be irreparably set back if we don't destroy that tree for its one acre of developable land. It's a fact that the Normal Neighborhood Plan allows 450 units to be built on 94 acres (do the math on how dense that would be — don't forget that some of the 94 acres are set aside for wildlife as well) and then we are told that there really won't be that much building for a long time, maybe never. (So why allow for such a number?) I suggest to Mayor Stromberg that he realize that there are facts and then there are other facts. He may know about the problems in administration of the city, but he seems to not be able to see the forest through the trees. He will not improve communication with the city's residents by blaming us for being ignorant, but he might estrange us by the insult. We live with changes in our city, and we do know their effect on us. Avram Chetron Ashland Failure to communicate Communication seems to be a problem in the city of Ashland! Definition: “Communication is a two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants exchange information, new ideas and feelings, but also create and share meaning.” Councilor Voisin wrote a Tidings opinion on citizen/city communication. “There is a crack in this communication, I hope that we can find a way together to mend it.” Historian George Kramer also wrote about process and historic character in our town concerning the Public Art Commission (PAC) and the Gateway sculpture. When the redesigned Plaza was being considered, a member from the Historic Commission (HC) said, “ What we have here is a failure to communicate.” The member was referring to the way the 2012 Public Arts Commission liaison handled the communication between the PAC and HC. “As your council liaison, I should have done a better job informing the HC on how the process works.” — Councilor Greg Lemhouse. The Public Arts Commission was formed to enhance art projects, not to transform the historic areas in our town — areas like the redesigned Plaza. The PAC needs to redirect their intention. The Cottonwood Neighborhood Group and citizens have been waiting months to hear about the cottonwood tree's fate. The city refuses to communicate any new information with them. We are being ignored! Pope Francis said while in the U.S.: "we should form bridges for our people ... not walls." Cici Brown Ashland DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Oct. 8, 2015 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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