No Smoking Gun

Timing is everything. The Miner printed an article on Friday, Nov 2, 2007. Although there is plenty I could discuss here there really is only one paragraph I wish to address:

According to the agreement of which you speak so knowledgeably, a document dated Sept. 27, 2006, and signed by Mayor Lester Byram, the city and Vanderbilt Farms do indeed "expect to share the cost ($20 million to $25 million) on a proportional basis ..." But expecting to pay is no obligation, and the spokesman's repeated statement that the companies want to collect a sales tax reimbursement for all costs seem to clarify that paying half is not their plan. Just in case, let me cite the actual agreement here, which, at a whopping five pages, would have kept Tarson up all night: "This letter agreement does not commit either party to any costs outside of the planning and design fees described herein." For those out there who are misinformed - including the signer of the agreement, apparently - this means that Vanderbilt is not obligated to pay half the interchange construction costs, only half of the preliminary design and scoping costs - about $160,000 apiece.

I have read the 'smoking gun' agreement and once again I am disappointed at how it was reported. The agreement in fact is for "Project Design Costs". The author in his article admits the he is talking about a five page agreement but alludes to it being 'the agreement' and his opinion is that 'expecting to pay is no obligation to pay'. The author further says in his own words that, 'this means that Vanderbilt is not obligated to pay' when in reality all this (the agreement) means is that there is a cost sharing agreement for project design costs. In fact it doesn't mean the City has commited to building anything at all. It doesn't mean Vanderbuilt Farms isn't going to make an agreement for sharing costs of a project in the future either. When I read his article I thought to myself, here we go again. He intimates that this is 'the agreement' but admits he is reading a five page agreement, surely he would not expect that the project cost sharing agreement is only 5 pages, right????? It sure as heck is no smoking gun! Heck, a real estate contract is 10! Also in his article he says the agreement is signed by Vanderbuilt Farms????? Really? Accurate reporting??? But, once again the citizens of Kingman are not given accurate information to make an informed decision on their own.