After a shaky start, let’s hope Vancouver’s reconstituted city council gets down to serious business. There’s a lot to do in 2010 and beyond.
Obtaining copies of Roberts Rules of Order should be one of the council’s first actions. That would go a long way to avoid the dysfunctional family performance that characterized the Jan. 4 meeting. That session featured some council members nominating themselves in five separate votes that saw Larry Smith elected mayor pro tempore. Smith is a good choice in a process that otherwise took some of the polish off Mayor Tim Leavitt’s inaugural meeting.
It’s time to move ahead. The list of council tasks is long. It starts with a troubling budget deficit ranging between $5 million and $10 million. The critical need is to maintain adequate police and fire services for the city.
Next is the urgency for Mayor Leavitt to clarify his position on tolls and lanes for the replacement I-5 Columbia River bridge. He based his campaign on fighting tolls, and then said he would accept them if he had to.
But let’s be vigilant about the new bridge. It must include a lid over Interstate 5 to minimize the “downtown canyon” effect through Vancouver; it must provide adequate traffic access. As the entry point to the state of Washington and to the city of Vancouver, it must have a distinctive look, the “community connector” that the Fort Vancouver National Trust is developing.
Light rail is another consideration for the new bridge. Not only should it cross the bridge, but plans are needed for its expansion in the city in years to come as a transportation link, perhaps with the aid of a trolley system. Direct access from east Vancouver to Portland International Airport should be added to the vision.
Progress needed at Fort
The city and the Trust should continue working together to elevate the Fort Vancouver National Site as the most prestigious on the West Coast. It drew 1 million visitors last year. Resumption of the family-friendly fireworks show and display are essential. The Fort site is the center of tremendous educational and cultural wealth still unknown to many who live here. It contains the historic roots of military activity, and reflects a strong, supportive patriotic voice from citizens.
Other items on the council’s “to-do” list should include:
Work with the Columbia River Economic Development Council, Chamber of Commerce and others to help create and sustain jobs on this side of the river. The first question: How can the City of Vancouver be supportive?
Build and rebuild relationships on the Oregon side of the river. It’s good to see Mayor Leavitt take preliminary steps in that direction. Vancouver and Portland city officials should be pretty much in sync on the needs of the area, and in discussion about such irritants as noise from PDX overflights of downtown Vancouver. Relationships with county, state and federal governments need to be nourished as well.
Push ahead with the Gramor waterfront development. That project, advanced last year, is a key to the city’s future and a linchpin to Vancouver’s independence and identity. The city is not in Portland’s mythical suburban shadow, and the more it provides evidence of its own stature, the better off we are. In the process, the city and Port of Vancouver should collectively put more energy into Terminal One, the port’s high dock/low dock river pier west of the Quay. More tour boats ought to stop there. It remains an under-utilized community asset.
There is much more energy to be invested — uptown and downtown — in this vital river city. Royce Pollard got the juices flowing in Vancouver during 14 years as mayor. In the best interests of the city, that foundation should be built upon without rancor and with regard for Pollard’s achievements.
Here’s a bonus idea for the new city administration: Create a volunteer ombudsman staff — a “truth squad” — to check out complaints, gripes and rumors about the city and report results publicly.
Onward, Vancouver, into a fast-track future. Vancouver’s metro era is on the horizon.
