Rice LetterDecember 3, 2001
Dear City Council and County Commissioners,
This letter is in regard to the action taken by a few members of the City County Planning Board.
As a member (member at large) of the City County Planning Board I was surprised that the
Board sent a letter to you asking for disbandment of the Board. Isn't it protocol to discuss matters
as a board and vote on the action to be taken? Five members signed... four did not. Of those
four, two members were called and had the letter read to them..... two members were not even
contacted. It is obvious that this has been brewing behind the scenes if only by the comment of
Dale Pierce at the last Board meeting, where he wondered whether an issue was worth discussing
because he thought there may not be a City County Planning board in the near future. It seemed
like a surprise to all, but in reality only a surprise to a few.
Greg Stevens feels that because the County and City can't seem to see eye to eye, the Board
should be eliminated. I think the behavior of Greg Stevens and other board members are adding
to the discourse. The Board should help bring the City and County together not keep them apart.
I think it is important to have the county buffer area around the city as part of the same
jurisdiction and a Board to oversee that area. How else will there be communication between the
City and County on infrastructure expansion and location of future population and business
concentrations? This Board should be the communicator.
The Board is polarized at this time and the best thing that both the City and County can do is
replace those members who are more interested in their agenda than the growth of the City and
County. I encourage you to find those persons.
SinceY
William C. Rice