Further to my recent post on the Arts of Collin County discussion currently happening in Frisco, Bob Allen has responded to questions posed to him following the City Council meeting where the “re-vote” consideration was discussed. His email is copied below (thanks Bob for being so thorough in addressing many of my concerns).

Thank you for the note and for the opportunity to share my perspective.  I apologize that it has taken me a little longer to respond than normal, but I have been trying to spend available time to find a positive resolution to this issue.  To date, I have received a large number of both pro and con messages; this message will be sent in reply to both.  Finally, I apologize for the length of this message, but I do not know how I can provide a complete response without taking the time here.

I remain a strong supporter of the Arts of Collin County project.  People can articulate this as either a luxury, an amenity, or a necessity, but that is not the issue in my mind.   I do however believe this project will someday be one of the single greatest cultural accomplishments in the history of Far North Texas.  Most importantly, a project of this caliber could never be accomplished by any single city alone.  It will take a regional approach to address a project of this impact.

I recognize this issue has been raised by one of my fellow Council members, who has made no secret about his desire to eliminate the project, but I could not disagree more with either his approach or his intentions.  For me, it marks the first time in my Council experience where we are looking for a way to fail, rather than to succeed.  Elimination of this project would result in the loss of over $3,420,000 of taxpayer money that has already been spent.  That will be money lost forever, with no opportunity to either recover it or benefit from it. This represents almost 14% of the original approved bonds, as well as the operating costs since the project’s inception.  Lost also will be the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours which have been expended during the past 10 years this project has been underway.   Lost will be the voice of those citizen’s that represented the “will of the people” in 2002.  And most importantly, lost forever will be Frisco’s reputation as a regional partner that keeps its word and follows through on its commitments.

I understand that some people now assert this issue should be re-voted because it was originally slated to be a four-city commitment, but let’s go back in time to look more closely at all of the dialogue that took place in 2002 and 2003 before we discount the “will of the people” in 2002.  I accept the fact this fellow council member didn’t live here at the time, so there is no way for him to have any insight into the situation.  However, I did live here and I was totally involved in the vetting/decision process and I can assure you the will of the people was clear.

So, what would have changed if we had re-voted in 2002/2003?  Nothing, except that we would have incurred additional taxpayer expense for another election and the overall project would have been delayed before we could have completed the Interlocal Agreements and established the Arts of Collin County Board.  Remember, both of those activities were critical so that we could begin the fundraising efforts that would ultimately be necessary to build the project.  The donation of the land was one such critical and valuable activity that was accomplished during this time.  The actual language in the bond amendment would have been exactly the same.  The amount of the bond amendment ($19M) would have been exactly the same.   The estimated operations cost of the facility would have been exactly the same.  All of the published information supporting the bonds would have been exactly the same. Were there citizens that wanted a re-vote at the time?  Yes, but they were well within a very small minority and many openly admitted they voted against it originally and wanted another opportunity to oppose it.  An overwhelming majority of public opinion was that we should move forward the project as is.  Despite that support, the vetting, research, and public input process took place for over a year after the original election.  Only then, after weighing all of the factors, citizen input, and implications of what would be necessary to create a successful product for the citizens of Frisco, it was decided that the original vote that passed by a 2 to 1 margin should stand.

Another concern seems to be that the population has changed since 2002, and that somehow the will of the 2002 voters means less today.  I could no more support that contention than I could a re-vote on the Senior Center, the Library, the Grand Park, the Economic Development Corporation, or the Community Development Corporation. The elections of the past are in the past and it is a disservice to those citizens to suggest their voice is any less worthy today.  The fact that new citizens have moved here is a testament to their past contributions.  And although these new citizens did not have the opportunity vote in 2002, the results of that vote have been well known and publically available, up to and including the time that Frisco was selected for their new home.

I’m particularly confused by this change in population argument, since it is one of the arguments raised by my fellow council member, yet even he made an assertion at a recent council meeting that had the revote occurred in 2002 he would be totally supportive with the project today.  I can only assume that even he no longer agrees this as a viable reason to revisit the issue.

A third concern I hear voiced – “this is this is not the time to issue the bonds”.  This argument certainly carries more weight for me.  You have elected your council to manage the city on your behalf.  I believe that decisions about the timing of expenses is absolutely within our core obligation to each of our citizens.  What I’m finding in some of the email messages and conversations lately however seems to be confusion between the “sale” of the bonds and the possibility of a “re-vote”. Although I do not support the latter, I agree that a great deal of thought must go into any upcoming bond sale.  But I do not believe that one should be connected to the other.

Lost in all this discussion has been the value of this project, the fact that no single city in the area could possibly go it alone, and the fact that it will forever change the landscape of our community. Yet, the positive aspects of this project are not merely cultural.  There are also economic benefits.  Yes, the operations of this project are not projected to make money, but neither do operations such as the Senior Center, the Library, or any of our parks.  Each of these are components which build into our overall quality of life.    And while we can always find people that do not want to utilize some of these specific facilities, we cannot be a sustaining community without them

A study published by The Perryman Group (renowned expert on Economic Development) in 2001, The Arts, Culture, and the Texas Economy, attempts to quantify the value of the investment and the value specific to economic development.  To quote a small portion of the study, “Virtually every city with sustained expansion over an extended time horizon has embraced the arts and the arts are a vital part of our lives, our communities, our well being, our economy and our very social fabric”. While I appreciate we are also doing other projects to support the arts, this project is unique.  It has been touted around the world as a model of regional cooperation for the good of its citizens.

During my service to you, I have always focused on the tasks necessary to ensure Frisco is a sustainable city.  We cannot have a city that lives in the past, we cannot sit where we are and believe “it’s good enough”, and we cannot exist in an economy that does not receive revenue from outside of our borders. Our success will depend on revenues from outside of our city, our state, and even our country.  The success I describe must come through regional partnerships and promises kept.  I have always promised you that I would work on your behalf to provide a balanced view between a competitive tax rate and value added services that benefit our community.  I will continue to keep that promise.

The topic at hand today should not be about a re-vote.  As a result of decisions made in 2002 and beyond, we have been working collaboratively with our regional partners and we have an obligation to continue that collaboration. The opportunity for a re-vote on the issue could have been addressed through public sentiment in any or all of the representative elections since that time.  They were not, because they were not an issue.  The four city issue only became the lightening rod, when it became a means to an end from a single individual searching for a way to stop a project he does not support.

Again, I apologize for the length of this message.  It is not a simple topic and I’m sure I still did not do it justice here.  Still, there are many complexities that deserve attention.  Although I have not included a copy of the original report here (it’s about 140 pages and 3MB in size, so I didn’t want to clog your email box), I will however share it with you if you are interested in looking at it.  I believe it is further evidence of the total due-diligence which has been a part of this project since its inception.

Finally, I cannot impress upon you enough the harm that I fear will occur should Frisco decide to revote this issue.  It’s not a matter of whether it passes or fails; the damage will occur long before any vote would actually take place.  It will be swift, immediate, and permanent. However, you can still have a voice.  If you find this information is of value to you, I urge you to share it with your friends and neighbors.  Then I encourage everyone to make sure the Council hears your wishes.  Since I am sending this note as a response to everyone, authors of both pro and con messages, I know there will be some that disagree with me.  I respect that will be the case, but I hope to you will also consider some of the background and perspective I have provided here.  I’m not opposed to citizens being heard today, but neither can I discount the voices of those in 2002.  I humbly request your support.

Respectfully,
Bob Allen

Currently Bob Allen and Bart Crowder are the only council members that have indicated support for Frisco’s continued involvement in the project. Email the Mayor and Council to share your thoughts before Monday (March 8).

Frisco

Recently there has been a new debate in the City of Frisco. The question is should Frisco voters be given the opportunity to overturn a vote (some may use the word reconsider) made in 2002 that approved Frisco’s involvement with the Arts of Collin County roject (a joint-initiative between Frisco, Plano and Allen) through a bond issue. Frisco voters approved the performing arts center by 67.58%. The vote by Allen and McKinney took place two months later, and Allen approved their performing arts center contribution by 52.45%, and McKinney voters rejected their contribution by 52.88%(short by 73 votes). It is interesting to note that within the City of McKinney there has been a push to put this issue back on the ballot for voters to reconsider the bond question.

One of the points that has been raised by new Frisco-ites (as this appears to be where it it mainly coming from), is that since McKinney did not join the four-cities, that Frisco should never have continued the city’s involvement. Former Mayor, Mike Simpson recently addressed this in an email (copied below in part) that he sent out to Frisco Art Center supporters.

At the last Council meeting there was a lot of talk about what happened in 2002 when the vote was taken to approve the bonds. Also, about 12 months later when it was discussed at three different Council meetings in October and November 2003 before the council decided to move forward with the project.

Here are the facts:

• September Election-2002 Total Vote- 2,403 total Votes 1,624 (67% in favor) –Refer to City Ordinance 02-09-106
• About one year later, when the council had to start deciding to move ahead with the agreements with the other cities, there were three (3) council meetings held where public input was taken. The facts are:
• Council Meeting-Oct, 21, 2003 A total of 11 citizens spoke-7 spoke in favor of moving ahead. 1 other was in favor and asked to find a way to make it work.
• Council Meeting-Nov. 4, 2003 A total of 3 citizens spoke- 2 spoke in favor.
• Council Meeting-Nov. 18, 2003 A total of 2 spoke-1 for and 1 against. At this meeting the council voted to move ahead with the project and not revote.
• At three different council meetings-a total of 16 speakers (some the same each meeting) spoke and 10 were in favor.
• If this item was so contentious among the voters as has been expressed by certain council members, why did only 16 speak out of the 2,403 who went to the polls and voted on the bond?

Again, ask your City Council to not revote this item, but to make a business decision on whether or not to move ahead on this item and determine when they might sell the bonds to build the arts hall.

E.Michael Simpson
Executive Director
Arts of Collin County

Being around during this time, what Mike is saying is pretty accurate. There was discussion about not continuing to be involved with the ACC project, however it was decided that it was too important not to be a part of this, and the City Council moved forward with our ongoing involvement. It is true that the wording of the ballot on the proposition stated one thing, however it could be argued that the City Council has the authority to act in the best interests of the city as a whole. It is important to note that on that same bond election ballot, voters approved funding a new city hall (Proposition 4) and a new library (Proposition 6), however it was a council decision to merge these two “free standing buildings” into one “grand” building. Oddly enough, voters didn’t seem to want to reconsider these two bond propositions because things changed, just like the voters – at the time – didn’t want to reconsider the ACC project.

So the question has become do we reconsider a vote that was made nearly 8 years ago, lose the significant amount of money we as a city have already put into this project, lose the credibility that we as a city have within the state and the country, as well as the opportunity of being part of something incredible for this region; OR do we move forward (think Progress In Motion), embrace a decision that will balance the sport-centric focus that Frisco has taken on recently, and continue to breathe life into a project that THREE visionary cities embraced in 2002?

For me the decision is easy … but I was around when we discussed it the first time.

Frisco

As I blogged a few years ago, one of the most effective ways to hold oneself accountable on goals or resolutions that you make, is to publish them, so here are my goals for 2010.

1. Start a family. Chris and I have been discussing when the right time would be for having a child, and as we are both getting older, we’ve decided that now is as good a time as any. We are exploring different options for us to make this happen, and as we make progress, we’ll be posting updates.

2. Successfully renew my work visa for the next couple of years. This will be a critical step for us to achieve goal number 1, as well as keeping me working at the best nonprofit agency in the US of A.

3. Participate in at least four (4) 5K runs. This in part is related to the first goal, and will help with our training. One of our goals is to include our Little Brother in one of these runs towards the latter part of the year.

4. Complete a half-marathon. Chris and I are going to try to complete the White Rock Half-Marathon later this year. We will be working towards building up our distance and stamina to make this a reality, and thankfully it is on the other side of summer, so there will be many opportunities to train.

5. Complete a 5K run in under 30 minutes. The best that I’ve ever done was just under 33 minutes, so with some focus and determination this should be a relatively easy goal to make.

6. Travel to at least one place that I’ve never been before outside of the United States. Right now there are discussions for a trip to the Mexican Riviera which would fulfill this goal, but should this not happen, there will be another trip that we will need to take.

7. Successfully meet the goals for my new role on the Youth First Texas board. This will include the fundraising component, but it also relates to working with the board to overcome some of the issues that the organization is facing right now.

8. Continue to improve general health. While the running (exercise) will definitely help with this, I do need to put a goal about weight loss, or general health on my list. I would like to drop back to at least a 32″ waist before summer starts, and that will be something that I will attempt to do.

9. Travel to Australia to visit family, including family I did not get an opportunity to meet up with during our last visit in 2009. At this stage our thinking is to make the trip around Christmas this year, but that will depend a great deal on Qantas making it financially possible.

10. Maintain healthier relationships. This is something that may be more difficult to measure, but it’s one goal that I have to focus on more. We tend to get caught up in the world as it rushes by us each day, and it is becoming more important to me to spend time with my friends, along with making new friends.

Let’s see how we do with these, and I hope to be able to post updates on each status throughout the year. We’ll see.

Reflections 2010

I’m finally getting around to post my “end of the year” reflections. Hey it is still within the first week of the year, so it still counts. Overall 2009 was a great year with a few upsets. We saw the inauguration of President Obama, and a pretty intense first few months of his administration. While he started off well, Obama’s attempts to “play nice” with the republicans did affect his ability to get much of his agenda completed, or started. Hopefully 2010 will be a better year for the President.

In March, Chris and I celebrated our tenth anniversary together. Both of us would agree that it has not been an easy ten-years, but it definitely has been worth it.

In May, Chris and I travelled to Australia with our best friends, Bobby and Ian. We made the trek to Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and then finally Queensland (where my mother and sister). It was the first time that I’d been home in over nine years, and I was amazed at how much it had changed. I wished I had blogged more while I was over there, and while I have a load of notes from the trip, I didn’t end up putting these online.

We continue to do our camping trips with a normal mix of 8 people, and seven dogs. These trips continue to be the highlights of our years, and is a wonderful opportunity to hang out with friends and relaxing. Once again, we went to Beaver’s Bend twice (or near it), and found a new cabin that may be our preferred home when doing future trips. This year we combined the Easter and Halloween breaks for both trips.

October saw Chris and I, along with Bobby, Ian and Layton heading up to Washington D.C. for the National Equality March. It was an amazing experience, and one that I will remember for a very long time. The last time I was in Washington D.C. was in 1999, and I can say that the city has changed a huge amount in that time … for the better. The march itself was so much larger than anyone could have expected, and while there were a lot of speakers, each one offered something to inspire the crowd to go back to their towns and cities and work towards full equality for the GLBT community.

Throughout the year, Chris and I meet with our Little Brother, Trey. We have both been trying to keep our blog up to date with all the activities that we have done with him. We continue to have a great time with each other, and have managed to do some remarkable things during 2009. Rather than repeat them here, you are welcome to go over to our Two Bigs site and check things out. One of the nice surprises of the year was winning the Collin County Regional Bigs of the Year (the first gay couple to win this award from what I am told).

On a sadder note, the year was not all good news.

Over in my home, the worst bushfires in Australian history ravaged much of Victoria and other parts of the country. This was made more personal given the area that was most severely affected was very close to my hometown that I grew up in. While over in Australia, we got to see a lot of the damage (from a distance), and felt very sad for all the lives that were lost, along with all the animals that were killed or injured.

In March, Chris and I were shocked at the news that our good friend Duncan died. We learnt that he had a relapse with his cancer, and it was discovered too late. We both were in shock for a few days, and still miss his updates that we used to get from time to time. Fruitbat appears to be continuing to recover from this tragic loss, and thankfully Chris has been over to visit with him during the year (it seems I got this wrong).

The year had a busy ending, and both of us were kept really busy. It was great to unwind for a short time at Chris’s parents in East Texas to reboot. Our end of year New Years Eve Party was another success, and a great way to end the year.

I’m sure that I have forgotten many things that happened during the year, and that will reinforce my need to blog more often. I will blog more often. I will blog more often …

Reflections 2009

Christmas Eve 2009 Snow

Originally uploaded by melbGuy

The closest I’ve come to a white Christmas.

General Interest

General Interest 2009, christmas

As I sit here in the quietness of the morning, I am thinking about how Thanksgiving has changed for me over time. As an Australian, I had heard about the American Thanksgiving and got my idea of what it was from the television shows that I had seen. Ten years ago, I was introduced to my first Thanksgiving in America. It was not quite the same as what the idiot box had shown me. In some cases, it was better, and in other ways it was quite underwhelming.

I had seen, from a distance, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and thought how fun it would be to watching this in the streets of New York, but then I realized it was quite cold up there and maybe it wasn’t a great idea after all. Standing in the cold, with thousands of others, craning my neck to get a glimpse of something (most somethings I would have no clue about). Instead, we watched it on television and I got to see the parade close, but not personal.

Over the last ten years, the way we celebrate Thanksgiving has changed. Since those early days, Chris’s parents have moved back to Texas, and we now spend each Thanksgiving at their home in East Texas. The ritual is normally the same. We arrive the night before (normally), and spend the evening catching up, watching the dogs go full-force around the property, and then snacking on some ham that was cooked earlier in the day. Thanksgiving Day is spent watching Chris’s mom prepare all the sides for the main meal, while his dad cooks the turkey. Then we eat and then we collapse.

This year is the first year that I’ve really thought about what Thanksgiving means to me. It doesn’t have a lot of the same meaning that many Americans have – though I would suggest that many Americans don’t celebrate the holiday with any idea of what the holiday is about, apart from a day off work, and the day before all the crazy sales start for the Christmas season.

For me, Thanksgiving has become about being with my family (Chris and the boys), and having some down time to relax, reboot and re-energize. I don’t share the same history of the holiday as Chris does, but I’ve come to realize that each holiday that we celebrate has become something that has been defined by the time that we spend together with family and friends.

So for those that celebrated the holiday, I hope it was a good time for you, and you had time to spend time with some of the ones that you love.

Reflections

Be sure to check out Chris’s extensive travel post for the holidays.

Chris, Travel