Port hears trail concerns, considers ballot measure

DAYTON-Members of the public were given a chance to voice their concerns about the proposed Touchet Valley Trail to the Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, February 12. A time was reserved both at the beginning of the meeting and at the end to hear questions and comments about the trail. An estimated two dozen people showed for the opening of the meeting to share their reservations about the trail.

Chuck Beleny, M.D., landowner of property near to the proposed trail presented information to the board that over 600 signatures of 2500 registering voters in Columbia County in opposition to the trail have been gathered.

He requested "that the Port Commissioners and staff walk the actual proposed path of the trail to get a genuine understanding of the negative impact on the homes, businesses and farmers along this trail. By doing so, one would be able to assess the potential danger to safety for citizens due to multiple crossings and the potential for crime.

The second request was for the Port Commissions to consider putting this issue on the ballot. "We trust that you would take into consideration the 600 citizens as well as those who have not had the opportunity to sign," said Beleny.

Other attendees mentioned the safety risks such as the trail being so close to a highway, a working railroad, and a grain elevator and the number of driveways that would cross the trail. Additionally, it would run along farms use aerial application of pesticides and other chemicals to fields. The trail would only be 200 feet away from the airstrip where those planes take off and land, and even closer to the helipad also located there-just 50 feet away.

Other issues raised were the cost to the public to continue to even study the possibility of the trail, then later plan and develop the trail, and ultimately maintain the trail. Additionally, landowners are concerned about increased liabilities involving accidents and crime from people passing so close to their property. Law enforcement would likely be needed which adds additional burden to the sheriff's department and cost to the taxpayers. An increase in vagrants migrating, congregating and even squatting on the trail is a concern.

At the close of the meeting, amidst public comment, Kathryn Witherington, the Port's Economic Development Director, who is leaving her position for the Executive Director Position of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation expressed that the Port was taking diligence in planning, reviewing every step and how nervous it makes her to have an idea placed on the ballot.

"I get really nervous when we talk about balloting ideas, and I hear the concern from all of you about getting too far down the road to stop, but that's not where we are–we're planning and we're talking," said Witherington. "And from what I hear from the engineering firm, they'll get to a point, and it's around thirty percent design–they'll get there some time this year, where that answers so many questions. It answers whether it's feasible. It answers what the cost will be. And it becomes a really good decision making point to say that yes, we are going to move forward with this, or no, it is not in line with the goals we have for this...What it has to do with balloting is I think if you start balloting ideas, every idea gets voted down and nothing ever happens. And that's really dangerous. That's the part that officially, just as a citizen, and not as a port person, if we start voting on every single dollar that's spent rather than voting on the people who will help make those decisions, I just really hope the lines of communication stay open. And I really assure you that we are listening, we're recording, we are researching all the concerns that are being brought. And all of that is now handed over to Jennie Dickinson who will also continue researching and addressing those concerns, so I hope there remains openness for planning together for whatever the future looks like."

The Board Chairman Fred Crowe interjected to comment, "I agree with you that not every single issue needs to be voted on. I think everybody in this room agrees with that. But there are some things that are big enough, that affect so many people that it does need to be on a ballot."

The board did not address the first request to walk the proposed trial, but they did decide to pursue researching the possibility of putting the trail on the ballot.