Email to the Editor: Elfers Answers Questions about Record on City Council

Q. Why did I vote for a new city park?

A. I voted for the city park on Cole Street across from the Courier Herald for three major reasons:

First, we need a plan to bring people into the city.The mayor's plan to fix up the vacant lot and turn it into a community gathering place was the only positive idea I've heard to help our downtown businesses.

Second, it helps build community and social connections. Rotary Park on Griffin is too noisy to show movies and is potentially dangerous to children running out onto Griffin.

Third, and most importantly to me, I was trying to preserve our asset.The money would have come out of Fund 180, a fund created from the sale of city property on Battersby. It would not come out of the general fund. By purchasing this vacant lot the money would be safe from being raided to pay operating expenses as happened for two years in the case of hiring two firefighters at a depletion of $300,000. Later, if needed, the lot could be sold for a higher valuation. 

You may not agree with my vote, but I hope you understand my reasoning for voting to purchase the vacant lot.

Q. Why did I vote against funding outside agencies such as Plateau Outreach Ministries and Enumclaw Youth and Family Services in last year's council budget discussions? 

A. I support POM and EYFS and what they do in the community. I personally have volunteered at POM and served lunches to teens at EYFS. But I have to separate my own private concerns with my role on the city council. In these tight budget times the council has to make difficult decisions about our resources. The city has no legal obligation to support these social services. I had to ask myself what the function of the city is. Funding core services, police, streets are the city's highest priorities in my opinion.  Therefore, I voted to cut outside agency funding to put more more money into my priorities. It wasn't an easy decision but a necessary one in this recession. I hoped the community would step in to fill the gap and many did through ringing bells for the Salvation Army.  Most of that money collected went to POM.