Project long-planned

As an actively involved member of the Emerson Garfield community and a local business owner, I look forward to the North Monroe project. It will improve the safety of both pedestrians and drivers, while bringing much needed improvements that have been discussed for decades. My family has lived in the neighborhood for over 40 years. My father-in-law was one of the early chairs of the Emerson Garfield Neighborhood Council.

This plan isn’t new, a portion of this was a part of Neighborhood Plan of the Spokane Planning Commission at least as far back as 1987. How or why is this still being debated? A small misguided group of business owners who don’t even live in the neighborhood oppose it and are now inserting themselves into the discussion at the last minute. They have the audacity to say they filed the tort claim/lawsuit “for the community,” yet Mr. Jarvis and his group never attend EGNC meetings to share their concerns. Really?

I urge City Council to ignore this small groups last minute effort to derail the long planned improvements. The businesses and residents who do live in the area support this plan and we look forward to the improvements.

Gene Brake

Spokane