Decision-Making Must Be Based On Greater Good Of Community
Will the second-annual Spokane Winter Lights display at the Creek at Qualchan golf course turn out to be the last?
The popular holiday attraction drew fewer visitors and made less money last month than it did in December 1994, partly because the dates and hours were reduced as a conciliatory gesture to nearby residents.
As the show opened a month and a half ago, city officials said they wanted to reduce the congestion that neighbors had experienced in 1994, prompting some of them to object in 1995.
“Bagpipes” asked readers to discuss the way communities handle conflicts over anything from Christmas lights to the location of a composting facility.
“I think it’s a simple matter of doing what’s best for the greater good of the community at the mere inconvenience, for a short period of time, of a few people,” said David Bray of Spokane.
“This (light display) is a great tradition to start, and it is for the greater good of the community.
“Too often in Spokane, the mouse that roars is the one that gets satisfied, and we have too many mice running around.
“These people should be a little more gracious and understanding.”
Paula Campbell of Spokane focused her comments on other less festive community projects.
“When a community project forces some citizens to bear a disproportionate share of the cost and inconvenience,” she said, “then one must expect conflict and resistance from those citizens. Where the fault is not in the project, it is in the failure of communication and persuasion.
“Spokane is growing, and the need for projects such as the Colbert composting facility or landfill projects increases. It is the responsibility of elected officials to inform and persuade citizens of the need, especially those who have to live in the shadow of the project and whose property or health might be adversely affected.
“Any government entity that charges ahead with costly projects without considerable citizen input is inviting citizen anger, cynicism and retaliation. Of the three, cynicism is the hardest to overcome.”
To Allan LeTourneau of Spokane, “community is the realization that each individual can make a difference as to whether we have the best community or the worst. Pride and action overcome all obstacles. Your involvement and mine will dictate the level of achievement.”
, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.