Eugene weekly., January 08, 2015, Page 4, Image 4

LET TERS
SEAVEY LOOP LAND GRAB
On Dec. 31 the city of Springfield
suddenly announced a “visioning
workshop” to determine the future of
Lane County lands and citizens, to be held
from 4 to 7 pm Jan. 14 at the Springfield
Library. I have grave reservations about
this process.
• The subject area is all outside the city
of Springfield. It includes LCC and Lane
County’s largest park. These are all rural,
unincorporated county lands. Springfield
is an external power with no authority to
direct visioning for this county territory
and its residents. That is a violation of
local governance and autonomy, which are
the first principles of due process.
• The “invitation” was distributed on
extremely short notice only via email
and only to parties who have submitted
comments regarding UGB expansion.
A proper visioning process demands
timely notification of stakeholders, which
in this case means all county residents.
There are well-established practices for
stakeholder notification and for scheduling
to accommodate stakeholders, starting
with publication in newspapers of record.
These practices were intentionally ignored,
preventing stakeholder participation.
• Given the vast number of concerned
stakeholders, the huge public investments
to date and the importance of this area
for the socioeconomic development of
the Eugene-Springfield metro area, the
proposed timeline of four sessions over
four weeks is insufficient to even begin
any meaningful visioning or consensus
building.
• The area of wide-ranging public
concern is the east-west axis from Buford
Park to LCC, that is, the park and green
zone, the agricultural and residential
Seavey Loop neighborhood and the
section of 30th Avenue extending to LCC.
The vision does not involve College View
Road, which is a commercial street running
north-south along I-5, or Goshen, located
miles away.
• This meeting is not the start of a
meaningful or democratic visioning
process for the best future of Buford
Park and the greater Seavey Loop area.
It is an obvious ruse — a crude attempt
by the city of Springfield to confuse the
public, define the framework, dictate the
agenda, whitewash citizen opposition
and completely dominate the outcome.
Springfield is acting on the false pretense it
has some authority outside its jurisdiction
over lands that will never become part of
Springfield.
The faulty Springfield process should
be abandoned immediately. In its place,
a new process may be launched by the
primary stakeholders and concerned civic
groups in collaboration with Lane County.
This restructured visioning process will
benefit from the knowledge and experience
of wide-ranging participants to build
consensus and reach the best possible
outcome.
You can also submit your comments to
mayor@springfield-or.gov.
Charles Stewart
Seavey Loop
FAITHLESS SHELTERS?
Robert Simms’ letter makes a strong case
for faithless care for the homeless. It would
be wonderful if the atheist clubs and groups
in Lane County got together and came up
with a system for emergency housing.
“Religious faith is a lazy person’s
excuse for not having to think” seems a bit
subjective, but then so is the thinking of
believers who do the volunteer work.
Having been homeless 40 years ago,
I know that I’d have endured a sermon
for a meal or roof. I’d have stood on my
head, chanted almost anything anybody
demanded! But that was then.
Where did the "15 percent" data of the
homeless use of faith-connected resources
come from? And what would happen if all
the church-affiliated doors closed tonight?
(It was 27 degrees Thursday night.)
Those who can’t do, teach (or write
letters?).
I say bravo, Robert, bring on the
universal love, the agnostic, the atheist,
etc. shelters!
Magi Hart
Eugene
WAR GOES ON AND ON
How can I describe the sadness that I
felt during the holiday season, one that is
Come See the Canine Competition!
meant to be a season of hope? I joined the
community where I live, led by a children’s
chorus, in singing with deep spirit, “Joy
to the World,” “Silent Night” and other
carols. I almost felt the hope that memories
of the birth and life of Jesus brought to the
world.
Jesus brought a message of love,
healing and courage to his community
and to the world. He lived in simplicity,
mostly out of doors, serving those in need,
those who were rejected in his world, as
best he could. The brutal Roman Empire
dominated the region, and many wanted to
rise up and forcibly overthrow it. But his
was a message of courageous love, and he
was willing to give up his life for it.
What a contrast memories of his life
bring to the violence, the greed and, yes,
the futility of our foreign and economic
policies. President Obama has sent
thousands of troops to “give instruction”
to the armed forces in Iraq. Bombings
and drone strikes ravage the countrysides,
creating suffering and hate. A willing
and distracted U.S. public seems to be in
complete support of sending trillions of
dollars for this widening conflict and quite
possibly many more years of war.
I long for a rising up of active
compassion, of intelligent, imaginative,
courageous devotion to nonviolent and
planet-healing alternatives. I do see
glimmers of that. I do.
Peg Morton
Eugene
Eugene’s
Bridal Show!
Photo by David Barajas
North American
Truffle Dog Championship
A first of its kind sporting event
celebrating Oregon Truffles!
Wednesday, January 21, 10:30am – 3:00pm
Oregon Horse Center
Thursday, January 22, 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Gala Awards Ceremony,
Willamette Valley Vineyards
For tickets and info visit oregontrufflefestival.com
70 Breweries! 175 Craft Beers!
Feb 6 & 7
Fri 5-11 pm
Sat 1-11 pm
sponsored by
Lane Events Center
796 W 13th, Eugene
21 & OVER
$12 advance
Sold at klcc.org
$15 at the door
Admission includes 2 beer tickets!
PLUS MEGA MUSIC SALE! Used Records & CDs!
4
JANUARY 17 & 18
♫ Fri – Sol Seed
♫ Sat – Jelly Bread
January 8, 2015 • eugeneweekly.com
LANE EVENTS CENTER - EUGENE
Something for Every Bride
klcc.org
(541)463-6000
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Fashion Shows | Prizes & Discounts
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