O TSP, Where shall Thee be?

Up Sucker Creek and other public-minded entities have been been trying to get copies of the Draft TSP to see and ponder over.  It's been tough, and the journey has been full of potholes and speed bumps.  But your persistent reporter was not deterred - just shocked and dismayed about what one has to go through to get public records that should be available with the first request.*

FINALLY, after weeks of asking, the Draft TSP was distributed to the Transportation Advisory Board for discussion at their Feb. 12 meeting.  With no time to review the huge document (500 pages in all), the TAB cancelled the meeting and deferred their discussion until the next month.  I called the Traffic Engineer to request a copy, but after checking with the city manager, the Traffic Engineer said that I would have to pay $50 for the whole thing at $.25 per page.  This was beyond my budget, but what do people of lesser means do when presented with a bill that would seem minor to most?  Sit in City Hall to read through 20 or 500 pages of a Desk Copy?

The staff did make the Draft TSP available in several files 2 different formats bundled together in one zipped folder.  Easy.  Not.  Eventually I was able to print 100 pages on my own printer.  When LONAC requested several copies with fees waived for being a public service group, the answer was still, $50 please.  Not affordable for the 8-member transportation committee.  So the group paid $26 per set at Office Depot.  Maybe the city should get their printing done at Office Depot too!  It would be worth a staff member's time (it took 1 hour to do) and the company made a profit!

Of course it doesn't cost the city $50 to print the TSP.  And it doesn't cost $26 either.  It's another bureaucratic roadblock, just like the zipped files - anything to make it harder to get at the text?  What is it they don't want us to see?

Well, maybe we have a chance to find out.  On March 14, the city posted a NEW version of the Draft TSP on their website and removed the earlier version.  If you have a copy of the first edition you can look for the changes.  Any changes reported to me at upsuckercreek@gmail.com will be posted.  Each neighborhood chair was mailed a hard copy of the document set:  Express mail to about 25 chairs at about $5 each or $125.  I bet it would have been cheaper in time and gas to send someone out to hand deliver the documents and save the taxpayer even more money, if that is what we are trying to do here.

So, read the New Draft Transportation System Plan, (2 Parts), and the Staff Report, and let the Planning Commission know what you think about it.  All written testimony needs to be in by 5:00 on the meeting date.  Check the website for further information or questions.

Planning Commission

PUBLIC HEARING

Monday, March 24, 2014

6.1 Transportation System Plan‐Periodic Review (LU 14‐0015) 

6:30 pm, City Hall

*All instances of denial or difficulty in getting public records should be reported to the City Council and the Commission on Citizen Involvement (aka the Planning Commission).  And don't be out off by anyone telling you that they can't give you something because it isn't finished or ready for the public - allow David Powell, the City Attorney to make the determination if the document(s) in question are exempt by statute or would produce a "chilling effect" on work in progress (this is extremely rare).  In other words, it the records are something you want to see, you do not have to have a reason to see them, and you should get a reason if someone isn't letting you see them (or is making it difficult).