MARC - A Pattern of Obstruction and Misdirection
Because the Red Bridge project is partly funded by a grant from the Federal government, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) was involved in approving it. Following the advice of Ron Achelpool, an employee of MARC, members of Friends of Red Bridge (FORB) attended the October, 2005 meeting of MARC’s Total Transportation Policy Committee (TTPC). Teresa Edens, co-founder of FORB, was told that they could voice their objections to the Red Bridge project at that meeting. After it ended, however, Mr. Achelpool told FORB that they should have attended the previous Surface Transportation Program/Bridge Priorities Committee meeting (STP/Bridge Committee). That would have been the best bet to stop the project, but once it was approved there, further approvals were practically automatic.
The experience of FORB is not unique. An observer of MARC who wishes to remain anonymous says “If you ask questions at the STP/Bridge committee meeting where this project is discussed, they would likely tell you that the decision would actually be made by TTPC the following week. If you ask at the TTPC meeting they would likely tell you that TTPC accepts the recommendations of the committee.”
And these meetings, though open to the public, are not public meetings in any meaningful sense. As our source explains it: “It’s the region’s public works people talking about projects in the arcane language of programming and obligation authority and such. It can seem pretty opaque.”
Teresa Edens concludes: “So basically, there is NO meaningful public involvement at any point. The public doesn’t matter, only the will of those who can play god. Actually, I think the comment from [a prominent local businessman and community leader] sums up the whole process: ‘The pope has spoken.’” (The “pope” is Chuck Eddy, City Council representative for the 6th district, which includes Red Bridge Road. Chuck Eddy is also co-chairman of the MARC Total Transportation Policy Committee.)
“This is a very sad commentary on our political process and the way this city conducts business.”