Silverton Economy, Dam, city goals...
March 11, 2009
Silverton city goals have been set and prioritized for the next two years.
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Topping the list are prioritizing the downtown master plan, developing a strategic vision and partnerships for economic development, and implementing a plan to relieve traffic congestion.
The list has nine goals, which were developed by the council in January and were voted on individually at the March 2 meeting.
One goal that was on the original list didn't make the final cut. Improving pedestrian safety by addressing the downtown traffic pattern was eliminated when the majority of the council voted against it.
The other goals on the list were maintaining existing streets and sidewalks, funding and constructing a new police facility, funding and constructing a new senior center, reviewing and prioritizing a parks-and-recreation master plan, formalizing parks-and-recreation facility maintenance agreements and program agreements with community partners, and increasing public awareness of Silverton Dam safety.
The last item sparked a debate at the meeting.
Mayor Stu Rasmussen said he was disappointed that the Silverton Dam was not listed as a higher priority, and he wrote a letter to the editor about it in the Feb. 25 edition of the Appeal Tribune.
He said that many of the goals listed as higher priorities would be irrelevant if the dam were to fail.
"I believe that the dam-safety issue is of such overriding importance to this community that I think you guys are wrong, and I'm going to continue to think you're wrong until you can prove that the dam is perfectly safe," Rasmussen said.
Council member Randal Thomas questioned Rasmussen's letter to the editor and said he is concerned that the community now has the impression that the council as a whole does not care about dam safety.
"Several individual council members came to the goal-setting session with goals that had in mind dam safety," Thomas said.
He cited council protocol and guidelines.
"After an issue has been voted on, I'll speak for myself carefully in a manner that does not undermine the integrity or the motive of the council if my opinions are different from the council," he said.
Rasmussen defended his right to voice his opinion, even if it's different from that of the council.
"I have a deep and abiding concern for this community that honestly cannot be quashed by council protocols that say you must put common sense aside and go with the common agreement of the council," he said.
