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June 19, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 29, 2004 Planning with city broke down It is said that the government closest to the people governs best. Does it? The city is the closest to the people. From what I've seen on the Nevada Street Neighborhood Citizens Panel, it does not hear, want to hear or listen to public input, if it is counter to its agenda. The past six months has been an eye opener. It started on December 14, when a concerned citizen left a notice on doors throughout the neighborhood of a meeting to be held on Dec. 16 (the week before Christmas) to formalize a LID for Nevada Street. Living in Quiet Village, Nevada Street is my only exit from the neighborhood. So I went along with about 150 other neighbors who wanted to know what was going on. The plan presented by the city did not go over very well and resulted in the formation of the Nevada Street Neighborhood Citizens Panel. Fast forward to a meeting will be held on June 7 at the Helman School gym to review three plans on which input will be taken to develop a final plan. Sounds like we have accomplished something. Well, take another breath. Since the citizen's panel is now dissolved, I am speaking out. I am one of the few, if not the only member of the panel that has attended every meeting, and it hasn't been easy with fireworks, lack of control, agendas, back-stabbing and power plays. The final power play was the city's ignoring input of the panel. The Public Works Deptarment has done a terrific disservice to the citizen's panel in what they are going to present at the meeting. In April, I told Jim Olson that some of the panel members do not trust the city to fairly present the options, and suggested delivering the options to the neighborhood with the pros and cons of each option in advance of the meeting. The panel could develop pros and cons on each. His response was we could be sure of a presentation that was fair to all the proposals. May 3 the citizens panel delivered seven plans to Jim, and asked him to come up with three or four plans that provided the range of options. Some of our plans were fairly similar; it shouldn't have been a tough task. What Jim came back with was 2 versions from 1 plan that was submitted, both versions with "bumpouts" (6-foot curb extension), and the other narrows the street by five feet, while still allowing parking (ala the worst section of "B" Street). Jim didn't lie to me. These are city plans not plans from the citizen's panel. Five plans presented to him were totally ignored. Surveys on public opinion of "bumpouts," ignored. If you don't live in the area of Nevada Street, why should you care? Because a LID is coming to you and you are paying for this one and all the others. We've seen the Oak St. fiasco, then Helman, now Nevada, next is Laurel - be aware of the planned closure of Glenn Street at the railroad in the future. The plans presented do not even meet the Ashland City Street Standards, developed in conjunction with the Fire Deptartment. The plans that would have been less costly have been ignored, along with education and enforcement. They have jumped right to the third and most costly "E" - engineering, which is contrary to the current view of many cities implementing traffic calming. Jim Olson said he didn't want to see another Dec. 16. Jim, they now think they have a choice. - Ha! Ha! Ha! Lyn C. Horstemeier Ashland All actions needed in this fight We appreciate the Tidings' interest in protest against the proposed Biscuit salvage logging plan, particularly the "Our View" editorial (May 1, 2004) urging readers to "fight it at all levels." A recent front-page article examining protest tactics is a welcome attempt at a more substantive treatment of political action than the paper has demonstrated in the past. However, the headline "Protesters Divided on Tactics" is inaccurate. The local environmental movement is diverse, not divided. Our methods vary, but we are united by a love for this bioregion. The Klamath-Siskiyou is a world-renowned hub of biological diversity and we're lucky to call it home. We must indeed address this devastating logging proposal at all levels because it threatens the integrity of a precious area and the sustainablitity of local economies. Diverse actions are needed to defeat logging plans that aim to destroy public lands and divide our community under the guise of "forest health." We need creativity, commitment and tolerance of different tactics. Ashland is a small, genteel town where rudeness and displays of anger make people uncomfortable. However, as the old adage states, if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention. Citizens have written letters, made phone calls, and submitted comments to the DEIS. These usual channels are being ignored. Our country has a formative history of civil disobedience. After legal channels of public input are exhausted, civil disobedience is a rational, well-intended next tactic. This is one of those times. While we as individuals may not align ourselves with every protest action, we stand in solidarity with all who act in opposition to the proposed Biscuit salvage logging plan and the comprehensive assault by this administration on our public lands. We plan to continue dialogue, critique ourselves, refine our strategy, and ultimately prevail. Please join us, there is room for everyone. In solidarity and love of the wild siskiyous, Grady Boyd, Trace Bungay, Stephen Coffman, Ann DiSalvo, Shelley Elkovich, Tracy Lord, Jay Lininger, Malena Marvin, Edgar Morton, Margaret Morton, Eric Navickas, Ryan Navickas, Stuart O'Neill, Tim Ream, Will Sears, Kayla Starr, Dot Fisher-Smith, Laurel Sutherlin, Pam Vavra DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams