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--> --> Elizabeth Bretko is among the protesters who gathered Tuesday on East Main Street to fight the proposed expansion at the Mt. Ashland Ski Area. Ashland Daily Tidings/DENISE BARATTA Protesters: Say `no' to ski expansion By Sean Wolfe Ashland Daily Tidings In a rare display of solidarity, four environmental groups gathered in protest of the proposed $3.5 million Mt. Ashland Ski Association expansion project. Environmental group representatives - some 30 citizens - from the Sierra Club, Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Ashland Creek First and the relatively new Oxygen Project Tuesday assembled at the Ashland City Council chambers prior to the council meeting. The protest was the brainchild of Ashland Creek First spokesman and would-be city councilor Eric Navickas, who began working the phones two days ago to rally support. "I called KS Wild and other local organizations, and put up posters in town around coffee shops, the library and the few public spaces the city has provided for posters," Navickas said. "I think it's important to have a public display before the discussion reaches the council tomorrow. Tonight we'll make public comments, because the public is not allowed to speak at (Wednesday's) study session. It's also easier for people to turn up after work, than show up at noon, when the session is held." Navickas denied the protest had anything to do with his run for council position No. 2, in which he will be opposed by Standing Stone's co-owner Alex Amarotico, and recently announced opponents Andrew Bangsberg and Brent Thompson. "It's not related to my council run at all. I've been working on this issue for a long time, since it was first proposed," Navickas said. "I don't believe that the people of Ashland support the Ski Ashland expansion. It's an environmentally concerned city, and I don't think the people support the destruction of wild spaces for recreation. I think there are a few extremist developers in town that support this." Placards - made of recycled corrugated paper - were assembled as people began gathering at 5 p.m. Slogans were penned, including "Honk to Ex-Expansion," "Keep it Wild," and "Mt. A, Not OK." Sierra Club representatives Tom Dimitre and Tom Rose put in an appearance, as were KS Wild representatives Joseph Vaile and Liz Crosson - who also sits on the Ashland Forest Lands Commission. Dimitre, who chairs the Sierra Club's Rogue Valley group and Oregon chapter, explained his involvement. "I'd like to keep expansion limited to the current ski area, and out of the Middle Branch. We've proposed an alternative, and the Forest Service is looking at that. Our proposal offers Ski Ashland new lifts and new terrain, but keeps them out of the Middle Branch. Frankly, I don't think they have the $4 million to build it. Our alternative saves them an estimated $2.3 million. So they'd save money, and they wouldn't have to make 80 football fields worth of clearcuts," Dimitre said. Ski officials of The Mt. Ashland Association proposal have said that the effort would cost $3.5 million and be phased in over a decade or more. Commenting on the protest, Ski Ashland's marketing director Gene Landsmann supported the right of the protesters to assemble. "Obviously it's a democracy. Anybody can protest, and it's their right. Obviously we're not pleased about the protest. We'd like to have a project that's endorsed by everybody. But this is land-use planning, and any time you have land-use planning you're always going to have a minority who opposes it," Landsmann said. The Ashland Ranger District currently is preparing a draft Environmental Impact Statement analyzing several expansion alternatives, including the Mt. Ashland proposal, as well as a number of other alternatives similar to what environmental groups have called for. Stuart O'Neill, who is affiliated with the Oxygen Project, said he showed up to raise awareness and encourage dialogue about the Ashland Watershed, which is threatened by runoff from the ski area - an ongoing controversy. "It's the difference between pure mountain wilderness and a recreational playground, We're here to keep the Ashland community opposed to expansion. It's about pure water versus more ski runs. It's that simple," O'Neill said. Liz Bretko, who works for Heartsong Chai, said she showed up because the ski expansion discussion has been such a "divisive influence," in the community. "This controversy is older than I am," Bretko said. "It took a lot of energy just to get the city council to have a study session. So I'm here to show that Ashland doesn't support expansion." Bretko was among seven of the protesters who later addressed the Ashland City Council at that body's regular meeting Tuesday. They praised the council for a study session on the expansion scheduled for noon today, and asked for careful consideration of the issue. "Tomorrow morning please look up at Mount Ashland and take in the view," Bretko said. "Imagine those scars will be doubled." Navickas questioned the financial stability of the Mt. Ashland Association, and was concerned that the cost of expansion would require a significant jump in attendance for the venture to make ends meet. "1997 was the last year they saw a profit," Navickas said. "This is a long-term liability for our taxpayers." Crosson noted the possible effects of additional logging, and the erosion that goes with such operations on Ashland's drinking water supply. "This is our municipal Watershed. What is that going to do to our quality of water in Ashland?" The council accepted the input, but - as is usual with the public forum section of council meetings - did not comment. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing