CAHABA WATERSHED
and what it might mean to you
by Don Casey
Don't touch that dial or pick up the remote - you need to read this- then cut it out and save it.
Why? Your watershed could be next!
The Upper Cahaba Watershed Consortium held its first, in a series of four public "stakeholder" meetings in Trussville at the Eastminister Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, November 19, 2002. The "Consortium" consists of three county governments: St. Claire, Jefferson, and Bibb and the twenty municipalities within the Upper Cahaba watershed. The land area ranges from the headwaters of the Cahaba located in the southern portion of St. Claire County through the southern half of Jefferson County and into the northern portion of Bibb County. A map of the area and related information may be obtained from the following website: http://www.cahabastudy.com/
This consortium of local governments established a two-stage process that is expected to result in a multijurisdictional plan that will manage the growth for the watershed. At the first meeting, representatives from Limno-Tech, Inc. of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Marasco Newton Group, Arlington, VA; EDAW Inc. in Atlanta made presentations about the scope of the project. In addition to hiring these three companies as consultants, the "Consortium" has hired the University of Georgia at Athens.
Notable local officials attending the meeting were: county commissioners Betty Fine Collins and Mary Buckelew; Trussville Mayor Gene Melton; and commissioner Sheila Smoot’s representative. Additional council members and representatives from other municipalities were to numerous to mention.
The Tuesday night meeting began with opening remarks by Mayor Gene Melton. At the close of his remarks Mayor Melton introduced Catherine Allen. She stated that she would "facilitate" the meeting. Her role as "facilitator" would be to bring the audience to a "consensus."
The following is a description of the consensus process:
[See our web pages on the Hegelian Dialectic and the Delphi Process for additional information on the Consensus Process.]The "Consensus Process" is a 200 year old, three-step process of "thesis, antithesis and synthesis," developed in the late 1700's by a German named Georg William Friedriech Hegel. This process is commonly called "group think." "Facilitated group think" requires the individual to set aside his or her principles and come to an agreement or consensus. With the help of this willing audience Ms. Allen accomplished this easily. Had objections been raised to the plan's abuse of personal property rights and the drastic alterations that will impact the daily lifestyle of everyone living within the watershed it would have been her job to defuse the dissent before it became heated and ask the parties to set aside the argument in the name of unity. This would allow a cooling off period after which consensus could likely be reached, i.e. the targeted party would set aside his convictions. If this result were not obtained it becomes the facilitator's responsibility to discredit the objector's argument or, if this cannot be done, discredit the objector. Over time the process generally wares away the convictions and concerns of the participants, who leave the meeting believing they have raised valid points, which the group has acknowledged, and through "facilitated" compromise have participated in the group’s final decision. Which in reality was approval of a "predetermined outcome." No longer is the question what is right or wrong, good or bad, lawful or unlawful, but rather how we all feel about it. No absolutes, no conscience, no convictions, no laws, no Constitution. That’s the Hegelian Dialectic! Look for it. The process is used more often than you think. It's in the schools, in business, in government and in the churches.
The predetermined outcome at this meeting was made quite evident through the presentations made by the representatives of the consulting firms hired to carry out the study. Their descriptive narration used phrases that to the uninitiated would have little meaning: with terms such as proactive, impervious surface, stakeholder, conservation easements, new urbanism, traditional neighborhood development, infill, and stream buffers, all of which is part and parcel of "sustainable development" and "smart growth." This concept will become reality through "enforcement tools" - rules and regulations that will be written after the policy is adopted.
A handout listed "tools" and computer modeling as the product of the first phase. The modeling requires the social planners to enter statistical information into a computer to formulate possible future scenarios. Phase 2 requires the adoption of the "Model and Approaches" by the twenty municipalities and county governments (regional government) in the area in order to avert unwanted future outcomes.
The audience seemed well versed in the phrases cited in the earlier paragraph. The majority of questions posed from the audience referenced one or more of the phrases or terms. The "facilitator" Catherine Allen often recognized the individuals asking questions by their first names. She would assign the question to one of the hired experts. The expert would answer the question and never explain the definition of the terms used in the discussion. This was more than an oversight, for it left those who were unfamiliar with the new termonology in a state of ignorance. It soon became obvious that there would be no attempt to clarify the meaning for the uninitiated. Such "oversights" are common with the consensus process.
Following are a few of the questions or comments to illustrate the point:
"If over 10% of a watershed is 'impervious surface' the environment is forced to sustain abuse. This area (Upper Cahaba Watershed) has 19.5% impervious surface - shouldn't there be a moratorium called on any new road building?" This is not within the scope of the consultants hired to study the problem.
"What are the needs of the river? We have been talking about human needs but no one has mentioned what are the needs of the Cahaba." (At this point the audience burst into applause) (response)"Certainly we will look into that issue."
"Hold off on all development for the next 18 months or until the study is complete." Mary Buckelew responded that you can't tell someone what they can do with their property as long as they have the proper permits.
"Conservation easement - why can't local government place easements on land that is fragile?" Gene Melton, Mayor of Trussville, responded that the Black Warrior Land Trust was awarded thirty million dollars from the court after Jefferson County was found in violation of sewer regulations. He said the Land Trust also receives donations to carry out its work.
The hired consultants plan to hold the next "facilitated" meeting in February 2003, the place; date and time have not been set. Look for a small print public announcement in the newspaper. Please try to attend the meetings - do not expect to change the agenda with those hired to complete the study and assemble the plan but do voice your opinion to your elected officials. They are the ones who have authorized the funds that financed this regional plan. In coming articles we will attempt to more firmly illustrate the connection between "Sustainable Development" and this "plan."
CLICK HERE to read more on the Cahaba watershed project.
Refer to our newsletter describing how "watersheds" may be used to take away your right to use your land by clicking here. "How Your Land is Taken"
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