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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-0115 STATE OF THE CITYAshland 1991 State of the City 1990 was a very productive year for the City of Ashland with an unprecedented level of citizen involvement. During this past twelve months we struggled with and had the \-.'.t~.rs endorse an open space program. We progressed toward ~'~,mE, leting much of our downtown project plan; i.ncluding the Black SBan Plaza, the plans for the plaza development and the Pioneer ,~nd C Street parking lot. Beyond our city limits we have looked to the view and water $}i~=.{=l ,Qf the city by acquiring and preventing a clearcut on the Superior Land, by removing the dead and dying timber from the {=jty owned land and establishing a volunteer work force to help reduce potential fire danger in the watershed. It has also been a year of great progress on our comprehensive plan. Because of the dedication of many of the <~ity councilors, city planners and the citizens of Ashland serving on volunteer commissions, we have completed the comp plan elements of environmental resources, openspace, economic development, population projection and half of housing. In the public facilities portion we will have a list of transportation improvements and alternatives as part of the updated approach to reduce reliance on the automobile. In terms of this approach we are ahead of nearly every other city in ~he State of Oregon. In fact, we have a reputation of one of the best comprehensive plans in the state and are considered the city most able to carry out the spirit of the comprehensive land use process largely due to ,:~ur citizen involvement. Beyond all this we are blessed with an enlightened constituency, reflected in the Council make-up, that is willing ~:l shift directions of city government to embrace new values. v.~]ues that dictate an interest in using our existing resources more wisely rather than creating more so that we can continue to waste. This approach is best demonstrated in our direction on water'conservation, has always been present in our energy conservation, and can be further recognized in our approach to traffic management, forest management and recycling efforts. In ~'dch of these areas we are taking difficult situations, working with the citizens and coming up with innovative cost efficient ~pproaches that will continue to make our small, progressive city a leader in the state. h.iS a down $;ide: ['.,ally [~'oLbl~ ar~.~ f ]eei n9 other areas w!'~,ej:'~=, care has not been taken and the result is that our resources pushed to the limits, our bui!din9 department is not able to the kind of care for planning actions that it otherwise :,,~uld take and many of our long range 9oals have to be set aside ~'hite we deal with the here and now. The desirability of our has not 9one unnoticed by the Count}, Tax Assessor. This year Ashland experienced a 27% increase in assessed values. But ev~'~n with this jr:c-tease, while other metropolitan areas \=~tin9 to impose a [:!r."~l_.~ert~- t,=~x ]imitation the citizens of ',,-.}~]and turned it dow~ ~wc: to on,~. While two of the three member Jackson County Board of .' mr~j ssioners wer~ rer~e~9 ~ ~g on a vote'. t{_~ endorse a recycl in9 ~=t i.~tive the A~;hl,~nd Cit~ Co~:i ] ~,as djre~.tin,~ staff to draft -'t,nances l-o ~:a~ ['4~sphat~.s. Ti~is f.,:llo~<ed City Council actic~n~ t{, bar~ polystyrene rind bri~g ~;t~ line a rr~t. ye]ing depot. The ~{.f-x,c]ing task force committee is ncm' directing their energy and .{.s,~urces toward creating d community compost pile. If -~{':'essfu] this could reduc-c, l.l~:::' amc:unt of k=aste 9oin9 into our ],~r~,'l fill by as much as 35:<.. After DEQ removed the City of Ashland from Air Qualitt; Nl,~intenance Area publicly stating that Ashland did not have an air quality problem, the citizens of Ashland and the City Council disagreed, understanding that we play a role in the air quality ,,~f the Rogue Basin and certainly globally. ~ith that understandin9 came a series of recommendations from a citizen ,'ommittee and Dick ~anderscheid, our energy conservation {',oordinator, that have done much toward cleanin9 up the air. Inc. luded in this is an innovative program to replace poor burning w~;odstoves with more efficient heat sources. The citizens have applauded these efforts and have :]~-.m. onstrated their suppcrt by voting in a woodstove emissions rdinance by a 3 to 1 margin. _~1eanwhile the City of Central was voting to- repeal a ~c',{~d st:L,'ve ordi nanee that was less ic;t ive. ]_990 also marked th,~_ b{=~ginr~in9 :~f ,':;ur te]evised City Ccn'~nc.i] ,.~,=.,~t~ngs. Alc}n9 with this ,--ame a better informed eitize,nrl~ more {nterested in getting involved. In fa{~t we have per capita more v{}]untee-r citizens involved in city government: than any other in the State of Oregon. Literally hundreds of citizens give ~sel~ishly of their time a~d expc~rt=ise to make Ashland a better to live. I cannot say enough good about the dedicated staff that works for the city. From the Administrator down, Ashland has individuals who give their all for the city. This was never more .~pparent than during the recent co]d snap where 3000 homes were without power and many of those and others without water or heat of any sort. The City crews worked around the clock turning water off and on, sanding the streets, working in sub zero ~,.~w~+~her c;n th~ p~.we~- substation, evacuating seniors from their !,om,-s; and resi.dk~n'.'es dri'.J fielding '.calls at all times of the day .;~d night. And when it was all done I heard one department head !~fter another reflecting on what worked, what d'idn't, and how {hey would do things differently next time. We all benefit from '!n~ positive attitude. Finally, I must comment on how troubled I am when I rea'd headlines in the paper preparing us mentally for a war that been sold to us as inevitable. I understand that, as L::-esented, we are ostensibly fighting for freedom and justice in world. I suggest that it is something very different. With war comes the guarante~e of future oil reserves. This oil insures a lifestyle that we have grown quite ,=~ccustom to. It would be easy at this point to feel righteous that we in Ashland do not commute long hours to work as they do kn ~;ther cities and because of this are neither a part of the problem nor a part of the solution. Fortunately our citizens and {~ounci] understand that what we all do in this nation effects all of us and certainly the world. It will take a nation of people with redefined priorities, working together to make a difference. As I mentioned we are working hard toward transportation alternatives. Those include pedestrian amenities, bike paths and public transportation. Nationally these may be small efforts but ~,~gether we could change the world. The wars that are to follow this one, and perhaps forever will be centered around re.~ources. I am proud that the it~zens of Ashland, the City Council and City Administration is ,:ml',itted t.<~ using our existing resources wisely: water, timber, ~'!_lads, schools, electricity, air and our ]and fill.' Perhaps our light will be passed to other communities unti] lights the nation.