I read an interesting article today in the River Current News about what happened at last weeks City Council retreat. It discussed the economic recovery plan that Councilmember Walker put forth during the meeting. It called for the renaming of the Economic Development Committee to the Sustainability Committee and suggested that a great deal of action taken by the city should be filtered through some sort of a sustainability filter before being brought for a vote.
This would give this committee an extraordinary amount of power and would fundementally change the way government is run in our town. We can not allow this type of power grab to happen. It is simply wrong.
It's sad how a plea for government to adopt a more sustainable approach to running a city / state / country turns into this type of response.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how Economic Development = Sustainability... At best these two areas overlap, at worst they have common borders. Sustainability is about financial strength, environmentally sound decisions, diverse populations and businesses - at least that's what it means to me.
Perhaps Councilmember Walker would be willing to help explain this idea in more detail to us?
My understanding is that there will be questions from the council tonight about this and Councilmember Walker will have the opportunity to better explain her position.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to her expounding on the points she laid out in the council retreat.
I attended the council meeting last night and have copies of the handouts provided by Ms. Walker regarding sustainability. If you are interested I can email you a copy, Mr. Paine, if I could find your address.
ReplyDeleteThank you. My email address is goneright@live.com
ReplyDeleteThomas
Apparently it was a big part of the meeting. My 13 year old son was at the meeting with his scout troop, and he was surprised that this is even getting a hearing. His impression (as EW addressed the boys directly to educate them) was that Sustainability was NOT about anything helpful for growth in Duvall, but was rather a filter to keep anything from harming plants and animals.
ReplyDeleteLook, we are a environmentally sensitive family, with a full recycling can weekly and a compost bin on the edge of our greenbelt property. But when I hear that nothing can be done to raise 124th to keep it from flooding several times a year because of it's "environmental impact," I wonder who isn't noticing the increased emissions from backed-up traffic over the W-D bridge. When I think of Seattlites determining how CAOs affect OUR land use, I wonder who is really caring for the welfare of the PEOPLE.
We cannot let an Environmental Crusade Committee take control of City Council. We need to keep the big picture in mind for the good of all.
- Carolyn Durant
Hoping to go on more than just the second-hand account of my son, I've tried to find minutes of the meeting on the city website, and cannot. I've also tried to go back to EW's campaign site to follow her line of thinking (Transition Towns, Permaculture, etc.) and have found that walker4duvall.com does come up, but kicks me over to a cool site for Duvall Women developing websites. I'm having a hard time finding more public information about this proposal for a Sustainability Committee.
ReplyDeleteHowever, EW's handout at the Council meeting, has lots of information, and so I'm glad that my son brought that home. The first page has the title "The Rules of Nature" and ends with this quote: "In other words, success in a sustainable society means that we are not systematically undermining nature's ability to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which all life depends."
Not a bad concept! But to what extent do we follow this line of thinking? Are we going to outlaw lawnmowers and mandate the use of Priuses?
Below the quote, a graphic shows 3 nested ovals with "Environment" being the largest, then "Society," and "Economy" being the smallest. This is not the way a local government can make it's important decisions concerning public policy. And if I were on the Chamber of Commerce, I'd rally the group against this lack of concern for the economic development of our fragile town.
I think that an "Environmental Advisory" committee would be a welcome part of our town, just like the Planning Committee and the Library Committee, good citizens who help in their area of focus to educate the council. However, it should in no way take over the Economic Development Committee or be a filter for all Council activity! This would be ridiculous.
Please, City Council, let's be sensible!
-Carolyn Durant
Does Rob Millard still think he matters in Duvall? Must be a real "legend in his own mind" as Clint Eastwood would say. LOL, greenbike11
ReplyDeleteTo Greenbike11,
ReplyDeleteThat was random. This isn't about Rob Millard, it's about the proposed creation of a "sustainability committee." How rude.
- Carolyn Durant (some of us aren't afraid to share our names)
Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI see stuff like this and I just want to bust out in a little Cyndi Lauper.
"But I see your true colors
shining through
I see your true colors
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow"
Rob Millard
To Greenbike11 -
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carolyn...
That comment served no purpose at all except to show how little people change between kindergarten and adulthood. Thanks for re-affirming my faith that some people just never grow up.
Apparently Rob Millard is only willing to share his name on some of his posts. Why not on his Thomas Paine posts?
ReplyDeleteSelective editing, or is it easier to defend yourself that way in this forum?
I am not suprised that this is the reaction to my name being attached to this blog. This is the very reason that I chose to start it with an alias. I believe that people will feel free to share their ideas without bias if my name was not attached to it. I thank you for confirming this concern.
ReplyDeleteThe funny part about all of this is that the validity of the arguments and the facts in the posts are not being questioned. The real rancor is because it has the name Rob Millard attached to it. It is sad that this is the level of debate that we are forced to have because it is easier to throw out pot shots anonymously then it is to discuss the issues.
I welcome your comments and hope that we can actually have a discussion based on the issues rather than petty personal attacks.
Rob
The anonymous posting questioning someone for not putting their name on something would mean a lot more if the person posting had put their own name on it.
ReplyDeleteI mean, REALLY? Do you have any idea how silly your argument is when you don't have the courage to do what you are asking someone else to do?
I say from now on we all put our name on things. If you can't put your name on it, then don't say it.
Jamie
I second that motion. At least have the integroty of your convictions to put a first name on here.
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteThat didn't stop you from participating in a blog with someone who staunchly refused to give their name until now.
This is a silly argument all the way around because of the pots calling the kettles black (Mr. Paine, I include you).
Thank you for finally addressing your identity, Rob. This will allow a little more legitimacy to the comments perhaps, and provide context if not.
Kate M.
Kate,
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. All the fuss that is being made about my name is the reason I chose to use an alias. I hope that now that it is out all my former political opponents can see passed it and actually participate meaningfully in the discussion.
And while I have signed my comments and encorage others who comment to do the same, I have appreciated the fact that Rob was able to participate here either as himself or as Thomas. The first is a very involved, politically excited member of our community who has helped with City Council, State Senate (right?), and National Presidential campaigns. Thomas has been able to set that aside and be a more neutral moderator.
ReplyDeleteCalling him out on that will change the forum here, I think. I hope that readers will still feel that their comments will be respected and posted, so that we can have an open discussion.
The same is not said of Greenbike (who I can only assume is the always negative Skylar Hansen), who won't address public concern to create community consensus. I'm so sorry to see how this discussion has ended. Did anyone even read my comments about the Sustainability Stuff?
- Carolyn Durant
I did.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Of course you did. It was, after all your topic. I imagine that Greenbike read it too, and wanted quickly to divert the converation away from it. - CD
ReplyDelete