Itd be so nice...

to NOT get a defensive response from my elected officials and city/county staff when I ask a pointed question. Its not like I take any of it personally - I just like to brainstorm, question, propose, and critique. I.e., use my tools as a professional social scientist to look into my area of interest - in this case, urban US issues, with my fieldwork area being the Couv.

On other hand, its nice to at least GET a reply - City and County staffs usual stonewalling drives me nuts.

So That's That - City Leaders Just Rolling Over, Apparently, When It Comes to Wooing Google Fiber's High Speed Supersonic Internet

Below is my email exchange with Councilmember Jack Burkman regarding Vancouver's exclusion from Google Fiber's Portland expansion. I urge those of you who care about what kind of city we want to be when we grow up to get on the horn and urge Council to look into any possible chance of getting this NECESSARY service - because if we don't, the "high-tech" companies we so desperately want aren't gonna come north of the river - they're gonna go to Lake O.

State reps & senators: what kind of tax breaks can WA offer versus OR? Did Oregon lawmakers, and Metro, just give Google a more sweetened deal?

I just don't see why, because Google turned us down once, we have to now roll over and play dead.

Shea Michael Anderson sheaside@gmail.com	1:45 PM (4 hours ago)
to Tim.Leavitt, jack.burkman, eric.holmes

Could we please horn in on this hi speed internet boon for Portland? We're going to be left in the dust if we dont.

Burkman, Jack	2:47 PM (3 hours ago)
to me, Tim, Eric

Shea, the city did a very thorough application to Google for inclusion in their Google Fiber program but they turned us down.

Jack

-------------------------------------------

Jack Burkman | Councilmember

From: Shea Michael Anderson [mailto:sheaside@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 1:46 PM
To: Leavitt, Tim; Burkman, Jack; Holmes, Eric
Subject: Google Fiber

Shea Michael Anderson sheaside@gmail.com	5:57 PM (0 minutes ago)
to Jack, Tim, Eric

)-: Well, fwoop. That's horrible to hear. However, it sounds like they turned alot of folks (including Portland) down on the first round. Are we as a city permanently excluded from applying to Google again for a second look? It concerns me that Portland, and select suburbs (including Beaverton & Hillsboro, where many tech companies are) are pulling ahead of us on this one - companies definitely look closely at things like connectivity when considering locating offices, sites, and personnel - for instance, downtown Seattle's lack of T1 capacity for high-speed Internet was a factor in Amazon.com relocating their entire customer service division out of state - 2000 jobs. 

I just don't think y'all should give up on this one - it can't be that difficult to integrate into their network, given it will only be 1/2 mile away. Isn't a "goal" of the City's plan for downtown to become a "hub" for high-tech creative businesses (at least, that's what I heard and saw at the Kiggins last night)? Wouldn't such businesses want the best connectivity possible? 

I don't question your decision as a Council, and City Manager, to not pursue this further out of any need to nag, rant, or complain. Rather, I'm pressing this one because it concerns me, as a citizen of Vancouver, that we're not being proactive in getting the infrastructure, and spaces, to develop and grow the kind of community we see ourselves becoming - it baffles me that our fallback position on so many of these types of issues seems to be "bedroom community/cheaper alternative to Portland". I sincerely hope y'all will gather the political will to go back to Google - and show us all that you are committed to truly being "Destination Vancouver". 

Best,
Shea

A Few of My Favorite Vancouver Things

Just so y'all don't get the wrong idea with me constantly ranting about what's wrong with our fair Vantucky, here's a pictorial album of what I LOVE about living here (just a few things):

Hello! Vancouver Follow-Up Thoughts, Including Special Thoughts about Vancouver's Downtown Association Efforts

So...I reassured Temple Lentz and the rest of the Hello! Vancouver team that I wouldn't just go blogging a half-cocked rant about what I *think* they shouldve focused on - or done or not done. I'm in love with the new, yet old-school, Johnny Carson-esque flair they're bringing to town - I think its high time we had a sort of vaudeville/Chatauqua-esque community gathering to look at current goings on that WASNT a prayer meeting at an Orchards-area megachurch. The Hello! folks just did awesomesauce, and I'm really proud of our town for showing up and supporting their efforts. 

Along these lines of my promise NOT to rant, I'm not going to discuss the new Housing First! ventures making their way onto the Vancouver scene, at least not til I hear back from the Council on Homelessness and a couple other "in-the-know" folks, whom I've directly asked questions of regarding my concerns and insights into their tack. This is, of course, good anthropology - drawing hypotheses and conclusions using deductive methods that involve going straight to the "horses mouths" for information. 

Good fieldwork and good anthropology (and I am a professionally trained cultural anthropologist - fat lot of good that grad degree does me with paying work right now...but that's another story) also involves being able and willing to critique, bear witness, and speak up when things just don't jive with observations "on the ground" of human experience. 

In this case, what doesn't "jive" with what I, and other locals, are seeing, is the snazzy and jazzy Vancouver Downtown Association's ten-minute promo video, which aired (premiered?) last night at Hello! Vancouver's pre-show funk. The video showcases all the awesomesauce things the Downtown Association has done to turn downtown Vantucky into a "vibrant place to work and live" (including the Farmers Market, Esther Short condos, a weird aerial shot of the albatross-massively-in-debt Hilton Hotel & Convention Center, the Central Library, and the new City Hall; also shots of young "hip" people working at "creative high-tech" jobs downtown - apparently we're now a "hub" for these things; shiny-faced volunteers watering hanging baskets, spreading mulch, picking up litter). 

I'm sure the Downtown Association means well. Don't get me wrong. Neighbors I know and love are featured in the promo spot. And said neighbors are solid, sensible, smart folks doing good in this town. 

What irritates me about this congratulatory puff piece showcasing downtown Vancouver as this rising star of 21st century urban cool and sophistication is what the video DOESN'T show: 

-dozens of blocks containing nothing but gravelled or badly paved empty parking lots

-other blocks with nothing but debt-burdened half-empty parking garages

-many blocks with bland late 70s/early 80s style 5-8 story office towers, that lack ground-level retail or any amenities open after 5 pm that draw tourist/resident traffic
-the giant morass of parking lot surrounding City Hall (backing onto the train tracks)

-the numerous empty "for-lease" or abandoned retail spaces lining lower Main (around 6th to 8th), Broadway (above Evergreen), and cross-streets, especially to the west of the downtown core

-the constant ebb and flow of homeless folk around Esther Short, Turtle Place, and lower Main, also those folks carrying giant black plastic garbage bags full of cans to recycle

-the unfinished empty field (parking garage proposed) next to snazzy new Library, and 3/4 empty Regal Cinemas building beyond

-the dilapidated and half-shuttered historic Academy building 

-the gigantic Jail and County complex/warehouses, with adjacent Bail Bonds district

-the "convenient" train station, with adjacent steel refinery

-the giant canyon of I-5, and dead zone just north of downtown (along 15th)

I am NOT in any way saying that downtown Vancouver is worse off than it was even five years ago - that is NOT my point. Rather, to stop efforts and "rest" on one's laurels, in the face of so much work that needs doing, is ridonkulous - as is spending good money on promo videos when the Downtown Association could say spend it on, I don't know, breaks on rental costs for small indie businesses seeking downtown spaces; active lobbying of development, including marketing specifically geared towards attracting companies/shops/developers to "infill"; 

active renovating of empty lots - including beautification, trees, flowers; 

active work to fill up empty storefronts with ANYTHING (Tacoma, for instance, puts temporary art galleries in their empty windows; Portland does "pop up" shops); 

active outreach to draw new residents to LIVE downtown, including low-income ones, and retain the mix of residents downtown already has; 

active work to fix broken transportation connections for pedestrians and vehicles alike - including connecting the train station, revitalizing pedestrian corridors to Uptown, Jantzen Beach, and along the waterfront, as well as to Fort Vancouver.

I'm sure the Downtown Association people are working their best (and thinking they're going about things the right way). However, from what I see, promotional feel-good efforts are NOT working - and aren't addressing downtown's issues head on. However warm and fuzzy they make us feel about "how far we've come". 

And, of course, the Downtown Association shouldn't have to revitalize downtown alone - other agencies (such as, oh, the SW Wash Contractors Association, or Columbia River Econ Development Council, for example) or businesses (the banks that squat all over the downtown core in their generic towers) or gov't folks (City Hall, hint hint - gear zoning & permitting, and planning/land-use, towards actually fulfilling downtown's wish to be a "vibrant place to work/live" by specifically changing regulations to address downtown's actual needs) could help. Shiznit, I'll even plan out and secure plantings, at wholesale price, for goodlooking container pots to put on the downtown sidewalks. Or I'll come water the hanging pots - wherever the heck those are...?

The Downtown Association, however, should NOT be sitting back and looking pretty - I'm sorry, its gonna take alot more than lip gloss promo shots of Esther Short's trees to actually make downtown's "wish" to become the "next Pearl" come true. Ultimately, ignoring the actual issues (or downplaying them) is the most damaging, and suburbanite, thing (ala Stepford Wives) we could do to our already ailing downtown core. 

Of course, if we want just glossy promos and brochures, and don't care about having a real downtown (like other cities), we can just use Van Mall as our city center and tangle back into being a giant suburban ooze. I think we're better than that. 

RE: Parking Facilities Query, cont.

Hi Shea,

 

Individuals purchase parking permits to park in the garages, some employers may reimburse employees for their parking expenses, but I don’t have that information. Some businesses or entities lease some parking spaces in the parking garages. Patrons pay parking meters in the Vancouvercenter Park n Go garage or purchase event parking permits. There are some parking meters in the Columbia Bank (formerly west Coast Bank) Park n Go Garage for patrons. Public parking is free in the Columbia Bank Park n Go garage after 6PM Monday through Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.

 

I don’t have the details readily available of the original construction costs in the late 90’s and early 2000’s of the Vancouvercenter and Columbia Bank Park n Go garages. The City issued bonds to finance the construction of the Vancouvercenter and Columbia Bank Park n Go garages. I will do some research.

 

Please call me or schedule time to meet.

 

Thank you for your inquiry.

 

Mike

 

Michael G Merrill | Parking Services Manager

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Community and Economic Development/Parking Services Division

P: (360) 487-8658 |

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Shea Michael Anderson [mailto:sheaside@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 4:44 PM
To: Merrill, Mike
Cc: Bafus, Alexis; sheaside.imonik@blogger.com
Subject: Parking Facilities Query, cont.

 

Sorry bout message cutoff...

How much did city get in 2013 in fees from businesses benefitting or using parking facilities for employees? How much did County or other govt agencies give city for facility use?

How much originally spent by city to build facilities? What portion of that money was from city taxes? How much did private entities give to build?

Thanks!
Shea

On Feb 11, 2014 2:54 PM, "Merrill, Mike" <Mike.Merrill@cityofvancouver.us> wrote:

Hi Shea,

 

Thank you for your interest in the Parking Advisory Committee vacancies.

 

Attached are some documents that contain information about the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

1.       Provisions of the City’s Municipal Code that establish the jurisdiction and duties of the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

2.       A map of the Parking Advisory Committee’s Geographic jurisdiction.

 

3.       A list of the items the Parking Advisory Committee has recently completed and are currently considering.  

 

4.       The draft agenda for the February 26, 2014 Parking Advisory Committee meeting.

 

Here is the link to the Parking Advisory Committee webpage:

 

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/pac/page/parking-advisory-committee

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information about the committee or the parking program.

 

Thanks again for your interest.

 

Mike

 

Michael G Merrill | Parking Services Manager

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Community and Economic Development/Parking Services Division

P: (360) 487-8658 |

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia 

 

RE: City of Vancouver Parking Manager Response

Hi Shea,

 

Thank you for your inquiry about City of Vancouver Parking Services.

 

Parking Services investigates parking issues on public streets throughout the City of Vancouver on a complaint basis. Parking Services also patrols the downtown parking meter zones during the parking meter operating hours. Vancouver Police and the City Transportation Engineer also have authority over the use of the public rights-of-way.

 

The Parking Advisory Committee’s jurisdiction is essentially downtown Vancouver. Did you receive the map of the Parking Advisory Committee’s geographic jurisdiction I sent to you earlier?

 

Thank you again for your inquiry.

 

Let me know if you would like to schedule time to meet to discuss the City of Vancouver parking program.

 

Mike

 

Michael G Merrill | Parking Services Manager

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Community and Economic Development/Parking Services Division

P: (360) 487-8658 |

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia 

 

 

 

From: Shea Michael Anderson [mailto:sheaside@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 4:33 PM
To: Merrill, Mike
Cc: Bafus, Alexis; sheaside.imonik@blogger.com
Subject: City of Vancouver Parking Manager Response

 

Hi Mike, Ive withdrawn my name from consideration.

Thank you, though, for the useful info about your department's policies, regulations, and (a bit suprised here) Parking's "jurisdiction". I had assumed your jurisdiction was the entire city? Who regulates parking outside your "geographic area"? Police? Private entities? The County?

As an aside, how can your department be effective in servicing city needs when your scope is limited? I'm also curious if you manage parking enforcement - I had heard thats a VPD function?

Be aware that your email, and my reply, are publicly posted on ovancouvria.blogspot.com.

Much appreciated,
Shea

On Feb 11, 2014 2:54 PM, "Merrill, Mike" <Mike.Merrill@cityofvancouver.us> wrote:

Hi Shea,

 

Thank you for your interest in the Parking Advisory Committee vacancies.

 

Attached are some documents that contain information about the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

1.       Provisions of the City’s Municipal Code that establish the jurisdiction and duties of the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

2.       A map of the Parking Advisory Committee’s Geographic jurisdiction.

 

3.       A list of the items the Parking Advisory Committee has recently completed and are currently considering.  

 

4.       The draft agenda for the February 26, 2014 Parking Advisory Committee meeting.

 

Here is the link to the Parking Advisory Committee webpage:

 

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/pac/page/parking-advisory-committee

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information about the committee or the parking program.

 

Thanks again for your interest.

 

Mike

 

Michael G Merrill | Parking Services Manager

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Community and Economic Development/Parking Services Division

P: (360) 487-8658 |

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia 

 

Parking Facilities Query, cont.

Sorry bout message cutoff...

How much did city get in 2013 in fees from businesses benefitting or using parking facilities for employees? How much did County or other govt agencies give city for facility use?

How much originally spent by city to build facilities? What portion of that money was from city taxes? How much did private entities give to build?

Thanks!
Shea

On Feb 11, 2014 2:54 PM, "Merrill, Mike" <Mike.Merrill@cityofvancouver.us> wrote:

Hi Shea,

 

Thank you for your interest in the Parking Advisory Committee vacancies.

 

Attached are some documents that contain information about the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

1.       Provisions of the City’s Municipal Code that establish the jurisdiction and duties of the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

2.       A map of the Parking Advisory Committee’s Geographic jurisdiction.

 

3.       A list of the items the Parking Advisory Committee has recently completed and are currently considering.  

 

4.       The draft agenda for the February 26, 2014 Parking Advisory Committee meeting.

 

Here is the link to the Parking Advisory Committee webpage:

 

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/pac/page/parking-advisory-committee

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information about the committee or the parking program.

 

Thanks again for your interest.

 

Mike

 

Michael G Merrill | Parking Services Manager

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Community and Economic Development/Parking Services Division

P: (360) 487-8658 |

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia 

 

City of Vancouver Parking Manager Response

Hi Mike, Ive withdrawn my name from consideration.

Thank you, though, for the useful info about your department's policies, regulations, and (a bit suprised here) Parking's "jurisdiction". I had assumed your jurisdiction was the entire city? Who regulates parking outside your "geographic area"? Police? Private entities? The County?

As an aside, how can your department be effective in servicing city needs when your scope is limited? I'm also curious if you manage parking enforcement - I had heard thats a VPD function?

Be aware that your email, and my reply, are publicly posted on ovancouvria.blogspot.com.

Much appreciated,
Shea

On Feb 11, 2014 2:54 PM, "Merrill, Mike" <Mike.Merrill@cityofvancouver.us> wrote:

Hi Shea,

 

Thank you for your interest in the Parking Advisory Committee vacancies.

 

Attached are some documents that contain information about the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

1.       Provisions of the City’s Municipal Code that establish the jurisdiction and duties of the Parking Advisory Committee.

 

2.       A map of the Parking Advisory Committee’s Geographic jurisdiction.

 

3.       A list of the items the Parking Advisory Committee has recently completed and are currently considering.  

 

4.       The draft agenda for the February 26, 2014 Parking Advisory Committee meeting.

 

Here is the link to the Parking Advisory Committee webpage:

 

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/pac/page/parking-advisory-committee

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information about the committee or the parking program.

 

Thanks again for your interest.

 

Mike

 

Michael G Merrill | Parking Services Manager

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Community and Economic Development/Parking Services Division

P: (360) 487-8658 |

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia 

 

Vancouver's City Liaison appreciates my insights.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Bafus, Alexis" <Alexis.Bafus@cityofvancouver.us>
Date: Feb 11, 2014 1:23 PM
Subject: RE: Parking Advisory Committee
To: "Shea Michael Anderson" <sheaside@gmail.com>

Shea,

 

Thank you for your interest and insight.  I will withdraw your application.  I also apologize for calling you Michael.

 

Regards,

Alexis

 

From: Shea Michael Anderson [mailto:sheaside@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 1:09 PM
To: Bafus, Alexis
Cc: Smith, Larry; Hansen, Bart; Topper, Alishia; sheaside.imonik@blogger.com
Subject: RE: Parking Advisory Committee

 

Alexis - MY FIRST NAME IS SHEA. Like "Shea Stadium, shea butter" etc...(-:

At this time Im going to back away from this position, given your description of how the Citys advisory boards work.

I could be more specific, given my philosophical objections to weak mayor govt, but your description of the posting, with its triple layers of staff for communicating ideas and proposed changes to city govt, says it all. I frankly dont see a good flow of communication in the Citys model that is effective at making changes as needed...given info goes first thru you, then Mr Merrill in advise/consent capacity (why Im guessing you cc'ed him?), then possibly to City Manager and/or Council - which leaves it, from how I see it, nowhere - staff, policies, and most procedures in weak mayor cities are handled by their supervisors (i.e., city mgr), leaving these things entirely out of hands of any city officials directly responsible to citizens, or even Council, for that matter.

For that matter, proposals floating up to Council (which Im assuming would involve me directly and repeatedly contacting Councilmembers to get on their agendas) are likewise dead in the water a) because theyd need 4 votes in 3 sep meetings, plus get out of Council comm; b) because any directives by Council in weak mayor city govts are at discretion of staff to implement - again, staff arent answerable to public or even elected folks.

I had hoped Vancouvers process on the "inside" would be less convoluted. Unfortunately not the case. I feel its much more effective, given this process youve described, to advocate change on the outside.

Now I see why so many are upset about parking issues here.

Be aware that this reply is posted on my blog, ovancouvria.blogspot.com.

Appreciated,

Shea

On Feb 11, 2014 11:55 AM, "Bafus, Alexis" <Alexis.Bafus@cityofvancouver.us> wrote:

Good morning Michael,

 

2:00 March 3^rd was already taken, so I have you confirmed for 2:20 on Monday, March 3^rd.  Council Committee II includes Councilmembers Larry Smith, Alishia Topper and Bart Hansen. 

 

Boards meet and report to their city liaison, who then reports back to council and the city manager.  For the rest of your questions, I have included in this response, Mike Merrill, Manager of the Parking Division.  He oversees the Parking Advisory Committee and will have far more answers to your questions than I do.

 

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.  Otherwise, I will send a reminder email for your interview as the date gets closer.

 

Thank you,

Alexis

 

From: Shea Michael Anderson [mailto:sheaside@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 5:32 PM
To: Bafus, Alexis
Subject: Re: Parking Advisory Committee

 

Hi Alexis, March 3 at 2 pm is fine, if not taken. If so, sometime that afternoon.

A couple questions:

Who is on, from Council, on "Council Committee II"? Or is committee randomly selected at time of interview (for instance)?

Do City advisory boards report directly to Council, or to City Manager?

Does the Parking board have scope to make recommendations/propose parking changes outside of downtown/affecting private property (say, commercial property)?

Also, does board have ability to propose/advise fee/personnel/parking statute changes?

Can board invite city staff/managers to speak on certain topics?

What powers, other than asking nicely, does board have when seeking out needed information in a timely way?

Im guessing this board meets once a month? Also guessing yourself, and maybe another person, liaise between boards, City Mgr, Council?

Sorry to bombard. Just getting ducks in a row.

On Feb 6, 2014 11:21 AM, "Bafus, Alexis" <Alexis.Bafus@cityofvancouver.us> wrote:

Good morning Shea,

 

Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the Parking Advisory Committee.  I would like to invite you to participate in an interview with Council Committee II.  Below are several dates/times that are available.  We are scheduling several interviews, so please let me know your top two or three choices.  I would like to accommodate as many schedules as I can.

 

Monday, February 24^th:

·         2:00

·         2:20

·         2:40

·         3:00

·         3:20

·         3:40

 

Monday, March 3^rd:

·         2:00

·         2:20

·         2:40

·         3:00

·         3:20

·         3:40

 

Thank you again for your interest, and once I have your date/time selections, I will send a confirmation email.  I will also send a reminder as the date gets closer.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Regards,

Alexis

 

 

Alexis Bafus | Support Specialist

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

City Manager’s Office

P: (360) 487-8607 | C: (360) 487-8625

www.cityofvancouver.us | www.cityofvancouver.us/socialmedia