Having regularly attended the Montesano City Council meetings I have witnessed a small, rude and disruptive group of men attending lately. They have been at times yelling at the mayor and being very disrespectful. Despite this rude and disruptive behavior I have personally watched the mayor keep her cool, respond with grace, and focused on the bigger picture, to build, not tear apart the community.

Remember the last administration and the turmoil?

This group has been campaigning against the mayor on every improvement idea that she and others pursue. Propagating misinformation, and not once have they sat down to discussed any ideas of their own. Now they are campaigning against a traffic revision idea entering Montesano. I personally support the traffic revision idea. The idea brought forward is to improve the entry way into our city and at the same time improve that intersection.

Whether it is a right-turn lane, roundabout or something else it needs to be addressed. This intersection is the Main Street entrance from the west bound exit off of Highway 12. The DOT and traffic engineers will do technical studies and the public and city council can weigh in with public comments on options.

I am not a traffic engineer nor are the other folks who are criticizing this idea. Why not wait to see what the DOT proposes before we form our opinions? The mayor helped us get $550,000 from the state Legislature to redesign it. These funds are hard to get. These funds are not being paid by the city. They cannot be used for repairs or maintenance.

Next is the idea to do something with the old, dilapidated Park and Ride where the recycle glass and oil drop off are presently located. This area is an eyesore and needs help badly. The proposed idea is to build a rest stop/park to get some of those one million tourists per year driving by to stop in our wonderful town. This would be an opportunity for local businesses to generate more business.

This idea was discussed by the city administration and a feasibility study was done along with an architectural drawing. Communities only survive if there are people willing to take chances and work together. Support your leadership. Let them know you support these ideas. Get involved, get the facts, and don’t let the bullies rule.

Patrick Wadsworth

Montesano