Is Lakeport attempting to move forward as a community or content with stagnating as a close-minded city intent upon turning away new ideas, business and tourism? The recent decisions made by the City Council seem to indicate an organization which has no strategic vision but rather “shoots from the hip” based solely on the emotions of the moment and portrays no consistency in their decision-making.
Case in point — why host bass tournaments, ski tournaments and triathlons in your beautiful town but turn away Boardstock? I do not live in Lakeport, but I have vacationed there many times and enjoyed the scenery, small-town atmosphere and the plethora of outdoor and cultural activities available, but I also enjoyed the diversity of values, cultures, ages, etc. that was evident everywhere I went.
Yes, Boardstock draws a younger crowd to the area, and yes that crowd does generally like to have fun that may not mesh with the fun that others enjoy, but is Lakeport a community that is only willing to accept a certain brand of people and would rather sit entrenched in your ivory palace only lowering the drawbridge for those who wipe their feet before crossing the moat? And at what cost are we willing to turn away that crowd?
With a strategic vision the Council would realize that a few issues with “those darn whipper-snappers” would be an excellent trade to entice those young whipper-snappers to someday move to Lakeport or vacation there as they grow and mature and also grow and mature in their salaries because they would look back fondly at the time spent in Lakeport for Boardstock.
I would also argue that the problems that Boardstock may bring with it that the community and the Council are so deathly afraid of are closer to annoyances than serious aggrievances. Sadly, Lakeport has allowed an opportunity to pass because people in your town are afraid of what might happen rather than excited at would could come to be.
David Ratcliffe
San Francisco
