At Sen. Linda Evan Parlette’s request, Washington Sec. of Transportation Hammond discussed our Apple Capital Loop Trail with community leaders in November 2007. She committed to support it. She’s still committed, but we’ve failed her and ourselves so far.

    We produced priorities in the More-Than-A-Trail report, but no action. Hammond said we need to act. 

    A year ago Parlette wrote the two governments saying Hammond requested a letter about plans and time frames based on the report’s priorities.

    Last February Hammond wrote requesting such a letter.

    Instead on October 12 the municipalities wrote a joint letter to Parlette. They sent Hammond a copy. The letter was a failure.

    On November 15 Hammond wrote a letter thanking them for sending her a copy. Then she expressed disappointment they were unable to complete the planning. She requested they send her a letter, a better letter. She warned, “There is an urgency to develop a plan.” 

    On December 1 Parlette responded to their letter by recommending they send Hammond the letter she requested. Hammond recommended four steps:

1. “Develop some form of minimal trail right-of-way plan to protect the trail proper as well as a plan to provide public access to the river, while a more formal complete community plan and vision for the area is developed.
2. “Focus on developing a plan and vision without letting the lack of knowing funding sources to acquire the property to bog the process down. This plan can then serve as a contingency plan should the legislature direct WSDOT to begin selling the property.
3. “Update the comprehensive plans and associated zoning designations so expectation are clear.
4. “Identify an acquisition and maintenance strategy.”

    The two municipalities’ failure to respond indicates they need help. Here are suggestions to handle Hammond’s checklist.

    First the two municipalities should immediately authorize funds to plan a minimum trail right-of-way. The City of East Wenatchee recognizes it must respond and Ken Stanton, County Commissioner said, “We’ll take this up at the first of year. It’s a concern.”

    Second, the municipalities should welcome leader action. Dozens of leaders participated in the More Than A Trail’s report. Other leaders could come from advocacy groups such as Save Our Trail, Extend the Loop Coalition, Chelan Douglas Land Trust, conservancy groups, developers and private citizens.

    Leaders must do three things: advocate for public passion about the vision, raise funds to complete the comprehensive plan and create the community organization to achieve the acquisition and maintenance strategy. 

    Advocates would energize people who know the legislature must find funds to balance the deficit. Hammond wrote, “There needs to be continual progress or the opportunity could be lost.”

    Leaders need to find money to complete comprehensive planning. Nancy Warner, Director of the Initiative for Rural Innovation and Stewardship, agrees based on her studies of community successes. “Start with the vision and find the money.”

    Finally, leaders need to identify a community organization to acquire and maintain the eastside shoreline of the public trail. The Eastmont Metro Parks and Recreation District is such an organization and currently maintains the trail under agreements with the City and the County.

    However, Director of Parks Dave Schwab explains his organization is not permitted to advocate for action on the trail. He also says his taxing district has limited resources from its citizen tax base that turned down the last two bond measures. “We’re using all the resources we currently have to bring up facilities to a current state of repair.”

    Asked about a valley wide organization that could acquire the entire Loop, he said such an organization exists in Clark County, The Greater Clark Park District. “It generates revenue to buy properties and spreads the cost over all the residents who’ll benefit. They propose bond measures and buy property. If it passes they transfer, sell, or lease it, and go dormant again.”

    Ultimately a comprehensive auction could raise millions for the legislature and permit private development consistent with our vision. Mitch Reister, a project engineer in the local WSDOT office, estimated it could take one-to-three years to conduct an auction on the east shoreline surplus properties. But surplusing small parcels are quicker. “We do those within months under current budgets.”

    Legislative directives to surplus small parcels could damage or destroy our vision.

    Hammond said, “I cannot stress your timely completion of this process enough.”

    Call a meeting or somebody. Warner recommended people could share on my blog, http://blog.jamessrussell.com. You can comment on Facebook at a group called “More Than A Trail?”  Be sure to search with the question mark.

    We need to lead.