[Trdma-l] Fwd: Support borough trails coordinator

[Scott Chesney]

>From: Eric Troyer and Corrine Leistikow <etcl at acsalaska.net>
>Subject: Support borough trails coordinator
>Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:50:58 -0800
>
>
>TIME FOR ACTION: SPEAK UP FOR LOCAL TRAILS COORDINATOR POSITION
>
>  (Note: This email I have written is long and has lots of details. 
> For those who don't want to read through the whole thing, here's 
> the upshot. The borough mayor has included a half-time trails 
> coordinator to his budget, but the position is not guaranteed until 
> the borough assembly approves it. Trail users who support this 
> position need to speak up now by doing one or more of the 
> following: speak at the May 3 budget hearing or contact one or more 
> assembly members by phone, mail, or email. Contact information is 
> at the bottom.)
>
>Hello all,
>
>If you want to help preserve trails in the Fairbanks North Star 
>Borough, now is the time to speak up.
>
>Borough Mayor Jim Whitaker and his staff have included funding for a 
>half-time trail coordinator position in the mayor's proposed budget. 
>The borough assembly is now reviewing the mayor's budget. The 
>assembly can accept, delete, or increase funding for the trail 
>coordinator position. Trail advocates need to do what they can to 
>make sure the funding is accepted and even increased to a full-time position.
>
>The local trails community is as diverse as the local population. 
>Therefore, it's possible that some trails advocates may not support 
>funding this position for some reason. That's fine. But for those 
>who feel this position is justified and worth the money, myself 
>among them, we need to make our voices heard. Below is information 
>for you to help make sure the trails coordinator position is funded. 
>This doesn't need to take a lot of your time, but every effort, no 
>matter how small, is important.
>
>Eric Troyer
>Interior Trails Quarterly
>
>
>WAYS TO HELP:
>
>Below I have listed several ways you can lobby the assembly. I have 
>listed them from what I consider to be most effective to least 
>effective. Next, I have listed good points to raise when advocating 
>for the trail coordinator position. At the bottom is a list of 
>assembly members and their contact information. If you support the 
>trails coordinator position, please take at least one of the 
>following actions. Even if all you do is send an email, that can 
>make a huge difference. Often, so few people speak up on local 
>issues that comments from a dozen people can seem like a large 
>outpouring of support.
>
>Speak at a budget public hearing. This is probably the most powerful 
>way you can let your voice be heard. The first public hearing for 
>the budget will be on Thursday, May 3, starting shortly after 6 p.m. 
>If there is not enough time for everyone to comment, then another 
>public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 17. Please come to the 
>meeting and sign up to speak. Citizens are allowed three minutes to 
>make their comments. It's a good idea to prepare some comments 
>beforehand and practice them once or twice. It's amazing how quickly 
>three minutes can zip by. Be forewarned that testifying before the 
>assembly takes time. You have to wait your turn. Sometimes the wait 
>is short, sometimes it's long. If you speak at a meeting, please be 
>polite and respectful, no matter how you feel about one or more of 
>the assembly members.
>
>Call one or more of the assembly members. Testifying at a meeting 
>means your opinions and concerns will be heard at one time by all 
>the assembly members who are present. However, if you can't make it 
>to the meeting, you can always call assembly members and talk to them.
>
>Write a letter. While not as powerful as speaking to the assembly, 
>sending a letter shows you care about the issue. Writing a letter is 
>generally considered more powerful than email. It shows that you 
>cared enough to go through the extra hassle that a letter requires. 
>That hassle may seem small, but in reality it's enough to keep most 
>people from commenting on an issue. If you do choose to write a 
>letter, make sure it gets sent in plenty of time for the assembly 
>members to read it. The budget could be passed as early as May 24.
>
>Write an email. This is probably the least effective way to 
>communicate, but it's better than doing nothing. People, including 
>assembly members, get flooded with emails everyday. They are easy to 
>ignore or put off to another day. Sometimes they don't get through 
>spam filters. People writing emails also tend to whip them off 
>without giving them much thought or editing. If you do choose to 
>send an email, please give it some thought and make sure to edit it 
>before hitting "Send." The more intelligent and respectful your 
>email, the better the message will be heard.
>
>Write a letter to the editor. Another way to act is to write a 
>letter to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Send it by mail (P.O. Box 
>70710, Fairbanks, AK 99707) or by email 
>(<mailto:letters at newsminer.com>letters at newsminer.com). Letters to 
>the editor must be no more than 350 words, and include your full 
>name, day and evening phone numbers, and a physical address.
>
>Encourage another trail user to act. If you know another trail user 
>who is hesitant to get involved, doesn't know what to do, or is 
>procrastinating, tell them why and how they should act. Multiply the 
>power of your voice times two.
>
>
>GOOD POINTS TO MAKE:
>             If you want to speak out to support the trail 
> coordinator position but aren't sure what to say, consider one of 
> more of the following points.
>
>
>--Trails are an important part of life in Fairbanks. What would life 
>be like in Fairbanks without trails? Let the assembly know how 
>important trails are to your quality of life.
>
>--Our trails community is diverse. Trail users in the Fairbanks 
>borough include walkers, hikers, runners, bikers, skiers, 
>snowshoers, snowmachiners, ATV enthusiasts, mushers, skijorers, 
>horseback riders, and more. We have nearly 20 citizen groups within 
>the borough dedicated to activities that take place partly or solely 
>on trails. These groups help people bond and offer newcomers a way 
>to meet others of like interests. However, these varying interests 
>can also cause conflicts. A trails coordinator can help solve or 
>avoid such conflicts.
>             -- Trails are a strong selling point for our community. 
> At least some local developers understand this. Two new 
> subdivisions are being developed that will include new trails. 
> Proximity to trails is often advertised as an asset for houses that 
> are being sold. A nationwide survey done in 2000 by the National 
> Association of Homebuilders showed that walking and jogging trails 
> are the top amenity desired by prospective homebuyers, beating out 
> exercise facilities and pools.
>
>--Paying more attention to trails now is an investment in the 
>future. If and when the gas line is built, Fairbanks will see a 
>development boom. Getting trails issues resolved now will help avoid 
>possibly nasty disputes in the future.
>
>--We are already losing access to trails. Fairbanks keeps growing. 
>Trails that have been around for years are starting to be lost to 
>public use. Do you know any trails that have been lost to public 
>use? If so, mention them. Many local trails are on the borough's 
>Comprehensive Recreational Trails Plan, but many are not. Without 
>proper protection, more trails will be lost in the future.
>
>--A trail coordinator would be a focal point. The borough Planning 
>Department and Parks and Recreation Department have done an 
>admirable job in recent years to protect local trails, but a trails 
>coordinator could better focus those efforts. The borough used to 
>have a part-time trails position, but it was cut several years ago. 
>It needs to be brought back.
>
>--A trail coordinator would help volunteer efforts. Local trail user 
>groups are spending many, many volunteer hours to protect and 
>maintain local trails, but they need the help that a borough trails 
>coordinator could provide. Among other things, a trail coordinator 
>could help focus those volunteer efforts.
>             --A half-time trails position would be good, but a 
> full-time position would be even better. Considering how important 
> trails are to Fairbanks and how many trails-related issues need to 
> be addressed, a full-time trails coordinator position is easily 
> justified. Such an investment will pay large dividends in the future.
>
>
>ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONTACT INFORMATION:
>
>Contact information for assembly members can be found at the borough 
>website at co.Fairbanks.ak.us/Assembly/Members.htm
>
>Below I have listed their phone numbers and email addresses. Letters 
>should be sent to the Borough Clerk's office at: 809 Pioneer Road; 
>Fairbanks, AK; 99701
>
>
>Charlie Rex
>455-4739
>email: <mailto:crex at co.fairbanks.ak.us>crex at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Luke Hopkins
>455-6805
>email: <mailto:lhopkins at co.fairbanks.ak.us>lhopkins at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Hank Bartos
>452-2100
>email: <mailto:hbartos at co.fairbanks.ak.us>hbartos at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Tim Beck
>488-3320
>email: <mailto:tbeck at co.fairbanks.ak.us>tbeck at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Randy Frank
>479-4394
>email: <mailto:rfrank at co.fairbanks.ak.us>rfrank at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Nadine Winters
>457-6258
>email: <mailto:nwinters at co.fairbanks.ak.us>nwinters at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Mike Musick
>479-5336
>email: <mailto:mmusick at co.fairbanks.ak.us>mmusick at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Torie Foote
>479-0908
>email: <mailto:tfoote at co.fairbanks.ak.us>tfoote at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
>Valerie Therrien
>456-8113
><mailto:vtherrien at co.fairbanks.ak.us>vtherrien at co.fairbanks.ak.us
>
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