On Sept. 20, 2008, the Kent Reporter published an article concerning the lack of public input at Kent City hearings. Council member Jamie Danielson was struck that no residents showed up at a public hearing to talk about the budget.
Council member Danielson, have you ever heard of terms “falls on deaf ears,” “you can’t fight city hall,” and “mother knows best?” These terms are exactly why no one shows up at the public hearings.
Over the last several years, a Save our Neighbor Group has been fighting City hall to stop a 2-mile street project named by locals as the “Road to Nowhere.” The street project will extend 224th Street over Highway 167 from East Valley to Benson.
City Hall received almost 100 letters and a petition signed by 650 residents opposing the project. Citizens expressed concern because the project did not relieve traffic congestion, a residential neighborhood would be destroyed, and precious wetlands would be lost. Our group was mystified because widening 212th was a far less costly ($25 million less) and more efficient option than the 224th Street project.
We later found out that scrapping the project was not an option.
For over a decade the City had collected monies from developers. These monies (over $10 million) were earmarked for 224th and could not be shifted to other projects that made sense. In other words, “use it or lose it”.
The public was allowed to speak at a Public Works Committee meeting on Feb. 25, 2008. At this meeting, the audience was lectured (like a bunch of third graders) by a non-committee Council member as to why this road should be approved. Planning staff did not adequately address many questions. They looked like deer in the headlights and made a very poor attempt of smoke and mirrors.
To avoid further embarrassment, the city prohibited people from speaking at a continuation meeting on March 17. More importantly, residents were not allowed to speak at the April 1 full Council meeting, where the final vote was taken. You’d think the entire Council would have liked to hear from the public before authorizing a $36 million expenditure. So much for democracy!
And you wonder why no one shows up at public hearings – mother does know best.
Jack Nixon
Kent
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