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4-1-05 River Avenue Project #3693 Dear Mayor and City Councilors: My name is Gordon Howard and I am a property owner on River Avenue. I am submitting my testimony in writing because I will not be able to attend the April 11, 2005 City Council Meeting due to prior contractual obligations out of town. I hope you will consider my submittal before you render a decision on the River Avenue proposal. Also attached for your review are documents relevant to this proceeding which I hope you will take the time to read. City Management demonstrated first hand for the Board of Commissioners at the 3-30-05 meeting, the dismisSive and arrogant attitude property owners have experienced when they announced that they did not care whether ODOT closes off one end of River Avenue or not, they still intend to build the project as designed. This statement was made after again, heating public opposition to the plan design, hearing Commissioner concerns about the plan design, and with full knowledge that ~ to date, has gone on the record in favor of this plan except city. staff. It is my understanding that there may be a last minute workshop scheduled next week by staff, although I have received no notice. Even though I have serious concerns about the credibility of City Management at this point, given their recent track record, I would attend additional meetings if I were in town. The City Council has reached a defining moment in time, and the credibility of the sitting Council and Mayor,. as well as the former Council Members and Mayor are all on the line. At the September 13, 2004 Council meeting the Mayor and Councilors all talked at length (see attached minutes) about listening to the people in the River Road area and about not wanting to create additional."ill will". The Council then proceeded to vote unanimously 8-0 against forced island annexation of the River Avenue properties. The only thing that has changed is that this project was revived by talks between Commissioner Green and Public Works Director Kurt Korey. The fact that this project is grossly over-built and that it has no support from anyone except staff remains the same. ODOT will not commit itself on paper that it will not revert back to it's former position of closing the east end of River Avenue which would result in a road far below the standard required to be designated as a collector road. Staff has admitted, on the record that River Avenue only marginally meets that standard now while it is open on both ends. Apparently standards don't matter to City Management, as evidenced by their statement before the BOC on 3-30-05 when they stated that they don't care whether ODOT closes River Avenue or not~ The integrity of this Council and the Mayor are on the line. If you vote on April 11, 2005 to oppose this project as you did at the September 13, 2004 meeting, you demonstrate by your actions that you meant what was said. In the alternate, if you now approve this project it will be equally clear to everyone that the comments made previously were simply "window dressing". River Avenue Exhibit C