In Which The CCD And Alan Klein Meet Truth!

Part of being Howard County's most beloved blogger, and a verifiable regional treasure, is that my eyes and ears are everywhere.  The purveyors of fear and division in Howard County and beyond must always be wary that my light is around whatever corner they choose to darken.

Take for example, the anti-progress group, the Coalition for Columbia's Downtown, and their spokesman, CA Board member from Harper's Choice Alan Klein.  In an effort to spread fear and suspicion among Columbia residents, Alan sent out the below e-mail.  Which several people, in return, forwarded to me.

As I did with Reg Avery several weeks ago, Alan Klein's communication now shall be dissected by the Green Text Of Truth!  To save space, misrepresentations of fact shall be denoted by (1) and insults of individuals or of the community's intelligence shall be denoted by (2).  OK?  Now, Here.  We.  GO!!!

 Dear CCD Supporter,

 This *Thursday, July 10th*, at *7:30pm* in the *CA HQ* building above
 Clyde's on the lakefront​, the CA Board will be meeting with Michael
 McCall of the Inner Arbor corporation. Which is a 501 (c)(3) corporation just like the United Way, Salvation Army, and Boy Scouts of America! And the Columbia Association Board of Directors created it!

 The discussion will likely center on whether or not the current IA plan
 represents "material changes" from the agreed upon plan with CA. This is
 important, since if​ there are such changes, the CA Board has to approve
 them. Alan obviously thinks there are, but most people disagree.

 Unfortunately, no other experts have been invited by the Board​ to
 counterbalance McCall's gift of gab. (2)

 We also know that those who are in favor of the IA plan are already
 beating the bushes I don't beat bushes, I and others try to get like-minded individuals to attend so we can speak our mind on behalf of all the people Alan Klein and his friends are trying to silence. to get their supporters to the meeting and to speak

up at that time in an attempt to sway the CA Board. We hear often about
the work session last month at which 14 of 16 speakers were pro-IA. (Of
course, we never hear about the work session the night before ​at which
the proportions of speakers for and against were reversed and we
*never* hear about the dozens of people who spoke time and time again
before the CA Board approved the IA plan, who were almost unanimous in
their opposition!) (1-- we do.  ALL THE TIME.)

It is important that you come this Thursday and *speak out*! The

 important message this week is not about your support for the original
Symphony Woods Park plan or even whether or not you like the IA plan. ​
  Rather, it is simply that you see "material changes" in the ​current
 Inner Arbor plan and want the CA Board to review and vote on those
 changes. You can also add that you hope the CA Board disapproves them!​

Wait, Alan, I thought you said that part wasn't important!
By the way, the plan the CA Board approved had no Caterpillar, no ​
Picnic Table, no half mile of pathways to nowhere, no Chrysalis, and no
Butterfly - all features of the current IA plan. It also had a skywalk,
which is missing in the current plan. Clearly "material changes" have
been made! And here Alan is trying to define the threshold of what constitutes a "material change".  He's a smooth one, that Alan. He will tell us everything we need to know.  Just trust him.

I will be there sitting as a CA Board member. I hope to see you there.  You will!
You may want to come early so you can sign up for a good slot. Last
time, they cut off Resident Speakout​ after several people had spoken
and only allowed the remainder to speak *after* the topic had already
been discussed!
 ​
~Alan

 

Comments

[Jon]

I remember a more Glen Echo style design. I just went on the website and saw very few details about any structures. That could just be bad web design, though. I'm not a naysayer - just looking for info. Has it changed? Will there be buildings for indoor activities?

[Nina Basu]

The SDP presented is for Phase One. The Arts Village and other conceptual ideas have not been abandoned, but they are not - and were never intended to be - part of Phase One of the project.