Pendleton Officials resolve to get public involved

Besides a capital improvement bond that the city aims to put on the November ballot, many officials said getting the public involved in discussion on Pendleton’s aging infrastructure and other issues will be key.

Communication between the city and public wasn’t always strong in 2014.

Special public meetings to discuss a $10 million bond proposal and the future of the Blue Mountain Recovery Center were sparsely attended.

Public dissatisfaction boiled over in November, when residents from Southwest Perkins Avenue presented a petition at a meeting requesting the city address the crumbling portions of the residential street. Multiple Perkins residents said the city failed to fix the roads after years of complaints made to staff members.

Mayor Phillip Houk said he wants Pendleton to be known as a transparent city that works with its residents, and councilwoman Jane Hill said the council may need to consider new ways of communicating to achieve those goals.

Hill said that despite interest in their community, many Pendletonians can’t take time out of their busy lives to attend meetings or seriously study the city’s budget.

On a personal level, Hill said she would spend more time in 2015 soliciting input from constituents.

“There’s no silver bullet for improving communication,” she said.

According to Patterson, an ideal year would see local government and public approve designated funding for the entirety of the city’s crumbling infrastructure.

But for Patterson, simply setting priorities over what needs to be addressed would be a step in the right direction.

Public input will be increasingly important in 2015, which will see a variety of issues come before the council outside of public works.

Councilwoman Becky Marks said she would like to see a more defined budget for the Pendleton UAS Range and progress on making the venture self-sustaining.

The city has invested more than a half million dollars into the project, which has already conducted tests but hasn’t been able to collect revenue while airport officials try to sort through Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

Pendleton’s mayor said those issues should be solved over the course of the year.

Coupling the range’s progress with potential economic development, Houk said the city’s investments in UAS, Barnhart Road and the airport area in general should become more clear this year.

Regardless of the challenges that lay ahead, many officials were confident in the city’s direction.

“I think its going to be a great year of progress,” Hill said.

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Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836.