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David Christopher Roachposted toGina Burgess
Tuesday at 5:36pm · 
  • out of town consultants.. redux redux, etc... http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20130805%2FNEWS%2F130809836%2F1012%2FLOCAL
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    • Gina Burgess As most of you know, I am not a big fan of using outside consultants. The Houston, Texas based SWA Group is no exception. [1]This is a huge landscape design architecture firm with one office in Houston and three posh, upscale offices in California (Laguna Beach, Los Angeles and Sausalito). This is the kind of place that pays their interns over $1,900/month. [1] They are used to planning and designing big-budget projects, like their recently awarded project in Shanghai, China featuring a 250 acre waterpark. [2] These folks will bring plenty of ideas, many of them unuseable and the ones that will be useable will be expensive. Many of SWA projects are water-based, but the thing is all these water-based projects start with…..(drum roll please)……clean water. Hhhhmmmm, now I know we have an EPA-mandated project of $240 million that has to take place and even then, pursuant to the “Great Lakes Protection Act,” Fort Wayne could see some fines coming its way. [4] But could Fort Wayne possibly be putting the cart before the horse riverfront development. I mean paying an out-of-town consultant $500,000 for riverfront development designs before the riverfront is clean and all EPA –mandates have been been and all federal and state fines paid seems a bit reckless. Also, hasn’t the City already spent enough money on hiring consultants for similar projects, like North River Now [5], Headwaters Junction [6] and more. I am pleased that local firm MKM Architecture & Design is going to somehow get in on the SWA team project, although I admit that I am not sure if their $10 million conceptual project ever came to full fruition the way they had hoped it would. [7] I’m also wondering what ever became off all the other community plans for which consultation fees have been paid for in the past, like BluePrint Plus [8], PlanIt!Allen [9], and Vision 2020 [10]. Personally, if it were left up to me, I’d put aside that $500,000 for use towards river clean-up and compliance with the “Great Lakes Protection Act”, so that in 2031 we aren’t stuck paying $100,000 per day for being out of compliance. [11] Clean water….now there’s a Legacy! 
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [1] http://www.swagroup.com/

      SWA - Landscape Architecture, Planning and Urban Design
      www.swagroup.com
      An international landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm with offices in the US, China, and the Middle East.
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [2] http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/SWA-Group-Salaries-E270718.htm

      SWA Group Salaries
      www.glassdoor.com
      72 SWA Group salary reports. A free inside look at SWA Group salaries posted anonymously by employees.
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [3] http://www.archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=6506

      At the Front - The Architect's Newspaper
      www.archpaper.com
      SWA's Los Angeles office designs a riverfront plan for Shanghai. - Short, direct...See More
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [5] http://www.northrivernow.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=125
      The Consultants
      www.northrivernow.org
      ACP-Visioning & Planning, Ltd.Creating better plans, better places through the integration of visioning and physical planning.
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [7] http://www.mkmdesign.com/our-work/project/?id=f25fc3af-5c39-4488-9860-44263ac0b34c

      project - MKM Architecture + Design
      www.mkmdesign.com
      Using the fundamental principles of Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND),Renaissance Pointe was designed as a walkable community allowing residents to become reacquainted to a life possible without the automobile. Dissected by a linear park, this plan creates a delicate dialogue between publi...
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [8] http://www.fortwaynereader.com/story.php?uid=751

      The Blueprint Plus plan
      www.fortwaynereader.com
      A progress report released June 13 says that some of the recommendations of lastautumn’s Blueprint Plus report for city redevelopment have already been implemented. Here’s a look inside the report to see how it re-envisions downtown Fort Wayne.
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [9] http://www.planyourcommunity.org/

      Welcome to the Frontpage
      www.planyourcommunity.org
      Plan-it Allen! staff are pleased to announce that the final document is now available for download.Click here to download the final document in Adobe Acrobat  (Note: The file has been optimized for web viewing and quick downloading which may cause some of the images to appear blurry when printed.) C...
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [10] http://www.neindiana.com/vision

      Home - Vision 2020
      www.neindiana.com
      Vision 2020 is a regional initiative designed to transform Northeast Indiana into a top global competitor by focusing on a common mission to develop, attract and retain talent.
      15 hours ago · Like
    • Gina Burgess [11] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw7m1ifzhio&feature=youtu.be

      Great Lakes Dirty Dozen
      www.youtube.com
      The Great Lakes Dirty Dozen is a list of the top 12 sewage polluters across theGreat Lakes. Although sewage pollution has been on the decline, billions of g...
      15 hours ago · Like
    • David Christopher Roach ALL THESE STUDIES- study it to death. and now- the latest sideshow distraction- the ANTHONY WAYNER scandal- the historical record shows( i read a couple local /Indiana history books- available at the Tecumseh branch library- that 1- Gen Wayne- had a good gig in NYC/ Philly- as Washingtons Army Chief of staff. he was the number 3 pick to quell the Indiana uprising- the previous 2 were soundly defeated by Little turtle- the Miamis/Indiana confederation. 2. Waynes victory at fallen Timbers- the Indians- were not led by Little turtle. they were counting on the British fort nearby to help them, which didnt happen. 3. "Mad" anthony Wayne- was called that- due to a highly likely case of severe Burn -out; and PTSD- due to all the wars/battles he had fought in previously. Wayne was also- a harsh/ruthless tyrant- likely because he didnt want his stellar military record tarnished by a loss to the " savages/ heathens"- as the america native tribes were referred to commonly. also- he didnt want to be killed in some losing battle, due to his troops scattering. He called his army his"Legion"- (patton was eccentric, so it runs in generals, i suppose.. 3. as soon as General Wayne set about the FORT WAYNE of 1794- construction, and completion , he requested transfer to DETROIT- according to the books i read- Wayne- didnt like fort wayne - not one bit; got out as soon as he could, and NEVER RETURNED. the Fort was named in his honor- for his Victory at fallen timbers, and for securing the peace( until 1812'ish)- from the Indian wars , and opening the "glorious gate"- securing the portage- for trade down stream, and from lake erie, to vincennes. there were many notable Army/ folklore legends who passed through FORT WAYNE( the fort, not the city/town/ village- on their way to greater things.. THE POINT being- Why GENERAL WAYNE is worshipped here- is highly over rated. like i said- he reluctantly was deployed here- like a good SOLDIER HE WAS- he only stayed here maybe a year, or 2, and then left, never to return... If you want a REAL HEROES STATUE on the courthouse green- I would suggeST ME!!! ( JOKING.. TEE HEE!!)--- But seriously- GENERAL LAWTON; or Little turtle; both of whom also have many sites, places, and statues named in their honor. If you want a Cinematic comparison to "Mad Anthony Wayne"- watch Apocalypse now/ or "Redux"- Col Kurtz- a "mad" man; but a military genius. who was just as cruel, and harsh. ( and ironically- theres an exchange beteen col Kurtz/Capt Willard- about Toledo, and "how far from the river did you live?- Willard doesnt ask "the Maumee river"? - ubt its an interesting comparison; and both movies could interchange- in time and place- up the river- from Toledo/Detroit- to Fort Wayne- as the "heart of Darkness. substitute the Vc for the Indians; the US Army of the 1960's for the 1790's; and a little REDUX/REDUX- and this gets interesting fast. ( or MAD)- dependng on how you look at it.. the horror. the horror.... ( tee hee!! )
      a few seconds ago · Like

      http://www.nps.gov/vafo/historyculture/waynemonument.htm
      bio:

      http://www.nps.gov/vafo/historyculture/wayne.htm