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CLOUDY Temp: 45 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 22, 2003 Three cities gain enhanced planning status By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune Jacksonville, Ashland and Talent soon will be voting members of the Rogue Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. The three newly annexed communities heard the news they were hoping for during a five-hour summit Tuesday when the majority of the MPO board agreed each member should have one vote. At the heart of the voting decision were concerns about current and future project funding. Standing members of the MPO wanted assurance their projects would not be derailed by new member votes; new members wanted an equal say in the process. The MPO is a federally mandated organization made up of the urban areas of Jackson County. Before the 2000 census, that area included Medford, Central Point, Phoenix and White City only. Increased population density expanded the valley’s urban boundary and thus the MPO’s jurisdiction. The MPO oversees planning projects for all modes of transportation. Its concerns include air quality and economic and environmental issues. Skip Knight, of the MPO policy board, put the money issue front and center for both the incoming members and the current MPO representatives. "It’s all about the money," said Knight. "We have to assure them and allow them to have a comfort level that their funds will be protected." Mike Quilty, a Central Point councilman, referred to the voting issue as the "800-pound gorilla." Showing sympathy for the three new communities, Quilty urged the board to allow the new members immediate and equal voting privileges. "I don’t want to say to these people, ‘You’re being forced to join, but you’re going to have absolutely no say in what’s going to happen,’" said Quilty. "You’re holding a gun to their heads." Weighted votes favoring Medford’s population density faced off against the 20-year tradition of one vote per entity. A final decision was reached when the board decided to continue the one-vote-per-entity status with a strong effort to reach consensus on all voting issues. Without a consensus, agenda items must receive a super majority vote of seven out of 10 entities in agreement. The new policies will be officially voted into place at a March 25 meeting. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S