The City Council is getting a lot of "Interesting mail" about the decision not to hold a first-of-its-kind advisory vote. Here is a recent email and my response ... just so you know how I'm thinking and why.First the letter --

"Thank you Councilmen Lover, Ensey and Dittmar for representing the Citizens of Yakima.  I think the nationwide voting last night reflects the distaste for elected officials thinking they have “the power” to make decisions contrary to the wishes of the voters.  I am sure this distaste will carry over to future Council position elections."

And now the response --

"Hello XXXX. Let’s talk about the plaza.  You are spot-on about how the system is supposed to work. In a representative republic you elect people like me who you believe will do the homework and legwork on your behalf.  You expect me to be more informed than you because that’s my job. And you elect me because you think you can trust my common sense, judgment and analytical capability to act on your behalf.

"Then if you are interested enough in a topic you too attend meetings and hearings and give your input, you write letters and emails and you have conversations on the phone and in person-- that's how you give us your input and we appreciate it and consider it carefully, and then-- then it is up to the council to make the decision.  We don’t give up our responsibility to vote because that is our job.  That is the job you hired/elected us to do.

"I went to the ALL the plaza meetings, the trips, I had the conversations with successful clients in other cities, I looked at unsuccessful plazas, and most importanly, heard from hundreds of Yakima residents at many Plaza meetings.  The overwhelming majority I’ve heard from favors the plaza at that location.  The business community favors the plaza.  Young Yakima professionals favor the plaza.  So, given my work on your behalf, what will an advisory vote do--tell me the people who have been against this from the beginning are still against this?

"Do I think that as the design has come out and the parking study has come out and public investment money has started to come out and the unknowns become known—do I think as all that information has come out, it has lead to MORE people being against the plaza? No.

"I understand there IS a group against it and that they are loud on-line. And in emails too. But they don’t come to meetings, they don’t participate in the process and their numbers are few.

"So I have to conclude that the hundreds of residents on-board with the plaza that showed their support through nearly a dozen community meetings are still there, the curious but uninformed now know the important details of design and parking and the “you told me I could vote” crowd still wants to vote no-- for from what i hear is more personal and not civic reasons.

"So then, considering ALL the above,  I have to make my decision and if you don’t like it, you get to try to vote me out.  I get that.  You can’t make decisions that please everybody.  But we can and did offer an extensive public process. Did you even participate?

"Final point … I don’t think I’m smarter or more “in power” than the average Yakamanian.  I know more because of exposure to information the average person doesn’t have. I know more because of my homework, conversations and research.  And my sense of responsibility is adjusted from self serving to community serving and seeing the big picture in building for the future.    I didn’t grab power as you suggest, in electing me the people have “empowered” me, to act on their behalf to the best of my ability and I believe I am doing that.  We have NEVER offered and advisory vote in 130 years and it was a mistake to do it … it was a ploy to kill the project and we fell for it.  I won’t set precedent for a costly and burdensome change to government procedure and I won’t make a second mistake by not correcting the first.

"My worry is doing the right thing, not keeping my seat, so take me out when my term is up if that is your choice … and then may I suggest you celebrate your victory -- in a beautiful successful plaza -- in the heart of a revitalizing downtown."

Sincerely, Dave

loading...

Ettl

 

More From News Talk KIT