Letter: Richland needs city council that will listen

Richland City Council is out of touch with the needs and wishes of the residents. The most recent example is the vote by council in favor of paving the way to turn Columbia Point South into an “urban recreation” area, thereby allowing for development there.

Throughout the entire public comment period for the city’s comprehensive plan, not one resident who took the time to make a statement about Columbia Point South was in favor of allowing any development there. It was horrifying to see some members of council essentially acknowledge that they know nobody wants to see Columbia Point South be developed, but that they were were going to vote in favor of the urban recreation area anyway.

It’s only the latest in a string of examples where citizens take the time to express their views, only to have them ignored. We deserve better than this “council knows best” style of rule. We deserve leadership who will actually listen instead of just waiting until our two minutes are up at council meetings to do what they are going to do anyway.

I will be casting my vote for Rhoda Williams for Position 1. It’s time for change.

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Letter: Richland needs city council that will listen."