Letter: Port of Kennewick shows how to plan a project well

Your editorial, “New Vista Field plan shows promise, but existing campus needs help” (Dec. 18) draws a clear contrast between the way the Port of Kennewick has approached Vista Field and the city of Kennewick and Kennewick Public Facilities District approach to The Link.

The port engaged citizens at every step, determined to create something the community wanted and would support. There was a citizen task force to select the consultant, and another task force to create the vision for how Vista Field would be transformed. Beyond that, the whole community was invited to participate in well-promoted public sessions.

By contrast, the city and Kennewick PFD made little effort to engage citizens before putting the issue on the ballot. The resulting three defeats leave few options for desperately needed improvements to the 30-year-old Toyota Center and expansion of the convention center.

The time has come for our cities to stop acting like each was a small town all by itself out in the desert. It’s time to find regional consensus on what a community of nearly 300,000 people ought to offer to keep its economy healthy and its young adults staying here.

Let’s get the conversations started across town, across the boundaries, across cultures. We can! We must.

This story was originally published December 22, 2017 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Letter: Port of Kennewick shows how to plan a project well."