DAYTON–Why is someone with a certain political ideology pegged as an enemy if they are presumed to have a different opinion? Why are we unable to express different points of view without nails, claws, snaggle-toothed, seething temperaments appearing? How do people know what others may think or believe if they don’t stop to listen? And, so what if they do have a differing opinion?

Let’s take the Touchet Valley Trail (TVT) issue, which has been plaguing our community now for the better part of two years. Our community has become so divided because, in my opinion, social media presented a platform for people to sit behind their screens and type whatever they wanted without considering the consequences of their words. Then, a verbal battle ensued with libelous innuendos, half-truths, assumptions, all mixed in with some facts, viable concerns and hindrances. Once that all took place, a meaningful conversation could find no home.

Two groups were developed from all of this banter, one for the trail and one against, which has, in my opinion, gotten nothing done but distancing community members.

Fast forward to now, the trail project has gone through in-depth investigations, feasibility studies, architectural outlines, some community discussions via ZOOM, mainly due to COVID restrictions. More and more people are attending these meetings, now that limitations have been lifted, and still there are concerns, and an opinion that the public did not get to weigh in on the placement and local feasibility of the trail.

We have state and federal funding, tax payer’s money through particular programs that can be used for specific purposes, all of which–if granted–will bring tax revenue back to communities.

And why not!

It’s our money. We just have to implement these financial strategies to projects specific to our community.

That is what the Port of Columbia Executive Director and its Commissioners were trying to seize: an opportunity to re-distribute tax money, via a trail development project. I see what the Port is trying to accomplish…the logic and desired outcome behind it. We depend on our community entity directors, managers, commissioners and boards to come up with ways to build revenue equity in our small town. And a plan was implemented that, on the onset, had grassroot support.

Recently, the Port of Columbia Commission voted to place the future of the trail on an advisory vote in the next election which means delaying grant-funding applications by as much as two years.

I believe this is a good faith move on the side of the Port for bringing this important development project to the people instead of continuing the battle between two opposing groups duking it out and getting nowhere but more mistrust and division.

Do these two groups speak for the whole community? That remains to be seen.

What is the fear of an advisory vote? Is it that the trail may get voted down? If the public votes to continue the trail, then organizers can move forward with a clear conscience with the community’s blessing. If the vote is to abandon this particular project, then it is best ended now, redirecting energies and funding in a new way.

I have faith in our community to see the potential of a trail paralleling Highway 12, weighing the advantages and disadvantages before casting their vote. Once the community has its say, the trail will continue…or not.