Public Forum Planned on Hawkins Agreement

The Moscow Civic Association, with the Moscow Chamber of Commerce Community Development Committee and the Palouse Water Conservation Network, will sponsor a public forum on Tuesday, March 4, at the 1912 Center about Moscow's recent agreement with the Hawkins Companies. Refreshments will be available at 6:30pm and the panel will begin at 7pm.

The forum is entitled: "The Hawkins Agreement: What Does It Mean and Where Do We Go From Here?” The forum will include a panel discussion followed by questions from the audience. The panelists will include: Wayne Krauss, Moscow City Council member; Tom Lamar, Moscow City Council member; Dennis Baird, Wine Company of Moscow owner; and Gerard Connelly, Tri-State owner.

Follow the Latest News on the Hawkins Development on our Community Issues Page.


MCA Public Forum on "Smart Economic Growth For A Prosperous Moscow."

This forum focused on attracting high-tech companies and high-paying jobs to Moscow. The panelists included: B.J. Swanson, vice president of AmericanWest Bank in Moscow and chair of the board of Gritman Medical Center, Robin Woods, President of Alturas Analytics, Judy Brown, economist and director of the Idaho Center on Budget and Tax Policy, and David Alexander, CEO of Ivus Industries, Inc..
For more details on this important forum

What the MCA Stands For

Smart, Responsible Growth

Preserving Our Quality of Life

Protecting Our Community-Oriented Vision for the Future

Smart, Responsible Growth
We support smart, responsible growth for Moscow which not only supports our local businesses and economy, but also preserves our quality of life and protects our vision for the future. This involves:

Supporting our local businesses who provide the economic engine of our downtown area by keeping the downtown primarily ‘business’ and limiting non-taxable educational institutions from changing our downtown’s character and destroying the tax base.

Supporting smart growth and encouraging urban redevelopment in the areas near downtown and behind the Palouse Mall that help draw customers into the area – giving businesses somewhere to locate other than the Hawkins Development out-of-state – and thereby supporting our local businesses and preserving our historic downtown, the “heart of our community.”

Supporting the establishment of a vibrant “Knowledge Corridor” to take advantage of our proximity to two major research universities in order to attract well-paying jobs and high tech businesses that add to our economy but don’t negatively impact our local resources (i.e., expanding Alturas, etc.).

Supporting water conservation measures and the development of a city reservoir, while opposing injection of our aquifers, thereby protecting our diminishing aquifers while providing renewable water resources to support growth in Moscow.

Supporting efforts by local community groups to establish recreational opportunities in Moscow (like a full-size, enclosed ice rink, ball fields and trails) that help to make our town a great place to live and attractive to outside businesses and entrepreneurs who consider relocating to our city.

Supporting public education in our community and protecting it from those who would undermine it, not only for the sake of our children, but also because a strong public education system is critical for attracting outside businesses. Quality businesses that we want to attract and grow will demand strong public education both for a more educated work force and for their employees’ children.

Preserving Our Quality of Life
Part of what makes Moscow a special place to live is our unique quality of life in this town – from its small-town feel, eclectic local businesses, and vibrant community events (Rendezvous in the Park, Rennaissance Fair, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, the 1912 Center, Parks and Recreation activities, the Ice Rink, our downtown Farmer's Market, etc.). We want to grow, while also preserving the things that make Moscow special – a place where we all want to live! To do that, we must grow in ways that don’t destroy our unique local businesses, but in ways that preserve the flavor and character of our historic downtown area, and that encourage and support public education and our vibrant community events. Smart Growth considers the big picture and the future (not just short-term profits). Smart Growth creates pedestrian and bicycle friendly connections that logically link the U of I campus to our downtown. Smart growth recognizes limits to our area’s water resources and encourages “responsible development,” e.g., by imposing significant,built-in conservation measures on new construction. In essence, we look for growth that is ‘value added’ in that it improves Moscow’s economy without threatening the essence of what makes our city special – this unique quality of life we have here. And it is this quality of life and the ‘uniqueness’ of Moscow, that stands out from other communities and makes us more attractive to entrepreneurs growing their businesses here or outside businesses looking to relocate. It is our comparative advantage that must be preserved.

Protecting Our Community-Oriented Vision for the Future
Our vision for the future of Moscow is pro-business and pro-community. It emphasizes above all else, smart, responsible growth that preserves our greatest asset, our quality of life, while supporting our local business community. Both we and the GMA recognize the paramount importance of the University of Idaho to our community’s economic health. Where we differ is on how to diversify our economy in a way that insulates us from “down” cycles at the U of I, while also increasing the desirability of our community. The GMA bets on low wage-paying, big box retail and residential sprawl. We think that is the wrong approach. In addition to the important role of the U of I, businesses providing high-paying jobs funded by “outside” money should be brought into this community through sales generated here (e.g., high tech businesses developed here or lured to Alturas Technology Park). These are the best alternative driver of the local economy, not retail. Those businesses, along with Gritman and the U of I -- and our downtown businesses who add so much to our quality of life and unique local character -- are the life-blood of our local economy.

Our vision for Moscow reasonably limits outside developers and national chain stores by encouraging them to join our community, but on our terms, so that they are responsible citizens who are willing to abide by our Large Retail Store Ordinance, thereby ensuring their developments improve our neighborhoods, rather than detract from Moscow. Smart, responsible growth in Moscow capitalizes on our two local universities and their wealth of available research talent that makes possible the development of a ‘Knowledge Corridor’ attracting outside businesses and well-paying jobs into the area.

Our vision for the future considers the impact of development upon our neighborhoods, nearby property owners, and the well-being of our city – with all three being important. We call for moderation and balance, supporting growth, but insisting upon equal enforcement of city regulations and no favoritism. It requires a comprehensive city plan that makes use of planning and zoning laws to help Moscow grow in a way that expands our local business community, but also protects our quality of life and preserves the character of our city. Smart, responsible growth preserves and enhances our citizen’s ‘quality of life,’ because it is of critical importance.

Our vision for Moscow recognizes that we must strongly support public education against those undercutting it. We must support our local parks, expand our recreational opportunities, and our existing community services for both young and old. These ‘community-oriented’ elements are pro-growth, pro-business, and pro-Moscow!

A Tribute To John Dickinson (5 February 2007, The Oregonian) (word document)

Dickinson A Man of Many Loves (17 September 2007, Tara Roberts, Moscow Pullman Daily News)(word document)