For a full-feeling exposure to the diverse wetlands (and uplands) north of the Amazon & Voit proposals & properties…
meet in the parking lot just N of the east metro transfer station (in front of former Swiss Colony) at 10am Sat. 3/7…
prepared to tromp through challenging terrain, brush, brambles, burrs, snow, water and trash.
This is not for everyone.
We will deeply tune in to the land…
asking it (and Mother Earth) what is needed to serve the heart & soul of both people & place (as I wrote city leaders below, embedding a FSC letter to Amazon).
We will also tune in to this vision for the area…
asking people & place for higher perspective & possibilities.
And we will expect magic & miracles to manifest…
like those of our 2/22/2020 tromp.
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2020, 3:01:02 PM CST
Subject: Friends of Starkweather letter to Amazon CEO re win-win ways with their Milwaukee St proposal and appeal
Dear Madison leaders and stakeholders in Amazon’s proposal for Milwaukee St distribution center,
Friends of Starkweather Creek (FSC) just sent the below letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos…seeking to appeal to hearts of humans in Amazon (vs. corporate facade and attorneys)…towards a win-win way with both people & place.
Some (not all) of the FSC board were concerned that the property owner appeal has a strong legal case…and that fighting the property owners and Amazon through a judicial process could lead to a major lose-lose scenario…for both people & place.
The below letter went through many revisions…seeking to honor many diverse inputs from board members and other select stakeholders…a hard, humbling but invaluable process.It reached a super-majority consent…but not complete consensus.
We are working on a similar process re the controversial PFAS issues.
I/we welcome your inputs…to listen with giraffe ears on.
Carl Landsness
Starkweather native, invasive and FSC Co-Chair
| Subject: | A win-win potential for Amazon’s proposed distribution center in Madison WI |
|---|---|
| Date: | Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:12:16 -0600 |
| From: | Friends of Starkweather Creek <admin@starkweatherfriends.org> |
| To: | jeff@amazon.com |
Feburary 28th 2020:
Dear Amazon leaders and liaisons for the Milwaukee St. proposal in Madison WI,
Friends of Starkweather Creek (https://starkweatherfriends.org) is a volunteer stewardship, education and advocacy organization for the 24 square mile watershed surrounding your proposal on Milwaukee St. in Madison, including a 40 acre wetland directly adjacent to your proposal. We (FSC) work with nearby community centers, schools, non-profits, for-profits and diverse neighborhoods (plus city, county, state and university resources) to serve & honor both people & place.
Your recent proposal for a parking lot at 3630 Milwaukee St. caught most stakeholders by surprise, including FSC. It triggered anger and mistrust by many, because it appeared to sidestep public scrutiny and desires.
FSC wishes to better understand what you seek and explore win-win ways to work together.Your very noble Community Giving (https://www.aboutamazon.com/amazon-fulfillment/community-impact/community-giving), Sustainability (https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com) and Bezos Earth Fund (https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-51544501) initiatives strongly appeal to us.
The adjacent wetlands are very abused and sensitive eco-systems, with major opportunities to model and inspire new and creative collaborations to restore or renew such urban eco-systems (in alignment with your noble initiatives).
We welcome a discussion with you well before the March 17 public hearing.
Carl Landsness
David Pulkowski
Friends of Starkweather Creek Co-Chairs
Post Office Box 8442
Madison, WI 53708-8442
admin@starkweatherfriends.org
To serve & honor both people & place