Dear Council Members,

The phase I report provides a sense of building sizes and heights, without the details of use, impact or benefit. The job for phase II will be much more complicated.

I believe that the best and fastest way to complete phase II is to empower a diverse group of residents (and only residents) whose job it will be to reach agreement on the specifics.

I was involved in the selection of the consultant for phase I. During the selection process, we were told by staff and the consultant that only they (staff and the consultant) should write the report, that the visioning committee should have no responsibility for providing direct input to the report, no responsibility to review or to come to agreement on the report.

For phase II, I believe that a diverse group of residents (and only residents) should be empowered to provide direct input in to the report and to approve the phase II report by a super majority. If the phase II report is written by a consultant, then I believe that the report will not be accepted, and this process will grind to a halt. Moreover, I believe that it is the right and the obligation of Menlo Park residents to design our own future and to make the necessary trade offs in our own interest, as residents.

Sincerely,
Vincent Bressler Received on Mon Jul 14 23:16:49 2008