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Aug. 20, 2006 at 9:21am

Mayor Baarsma misses the point in plaza renaming debate

This week has been an exciting one for me on the local involvement front. I've brought up the issue of renaming Pacific Plaza to readers here and went forward to writing an op ed, conducting a poll, and having an email conversation with current Mayor Baarsma including his piece in the Trib today. [ link | pdf ] Unfortunately, everyone but the Mayor gets the point: Postpone renaming the plaza until more feedback is gathered. The significance of former Mayor Tollefson's achievements is not and was never in question. It's simply the process of gathering public comment itself I'm concerned about.

Read how you can get involved below.

In the end I have no problem with the Mayor and City Council making the final call I just don't think they have truly gone out of their way to learn what the people who are suppose to identify with and use the plaza really think. For the Landmarks Commission to have one month for "written public comment" is not enough. First, the general public doesn't pay attention to request for written public comment by the commission and second, why shouldn't that sort of feedback be gathered in a shorter form something like the poll I conducted here on the site? How about having someone in the plaza during a couple lunch hours to ask people their opinion? It encourages involvement without the time it can take a person with a busy life to write a letter or email.

There are better ways to get the word out and gather comments and the city didn't do it. Sure, they're busy. But if a relatively light issue like renaming Pacific Plaza can't seek such simple feedback then what confidence should we have when issues of housing, employment, schools, etc. come up? How will we be heard then?

There's no reason for a decision to occur this Tuesday versus a month from now. My simple request is to postpone a decision until further public comment can be gathered. It's simple and it could mean a whole lot for the city to try different ways to ask more people "What do you think?"

Two last shots
Join me at Tuesday's City Council meeting if you want to speak out on this issue. The council meets at 5pm at the Tacoma Municipal Building. [ map ] Anyone attending can sign up to make comments on any item on the agenda (this one's #36948) and has up to 5 minutes to speak. Your support and involvement in this meeting could help turn the tables on this naming decision toward one that more of the public can get behind and identify with. Here's a couple points you might address if you decide to join me at the meeting:

- the city should seek more public input before renaming a public place
- there's no hurry to rename it now or a month from now especially since events have already been advertised and held under current name
- conduct online polls or have volunteers on street ask people's opinion
- is more public comments points to different name, honor Tollefson with dedication
- tell the council what name you'd prefer
- let them know why you might prefer a name other than that of Tollefson's (e.g. it's not a square, tells nothing about place, etc.)

If you plan to attend, let me know in the comments below.

You can also send Mayor Baarsma and the City Council an email. If you click the following link a brief statement I've written will pop up in your email program that you need only sign your name and address and hit the send button. Feel free to add in your own comments and insight as well.

Thanks again for your involvement and support!

posted by Kevin under pacific plaza, tacoma, tollefson square