Pullman City Council candidates talk business, transparency

Economic development and transparency in government were among the major themes of a forum featuring four Pullman City Council candidates Wednesday evening in Pullman.

Incumbent councilors Ann Parks and Eileen Macoll were joined by challengers Chris Johnson and Francis Benjamin to answer questions in front of 30 people. Benjamin will challenge Macoll for an at-large councilor position, and Chris Johnson will run against Ann Parks to represent Ward 1 in the November election. Pullman Young Professionals organized the event at the Holiday Inn Express.

When asked about the role city government should play in economic development, Macoll said the city should be a “one-stop shop” that helps entrepreneurs find the right licenses, permits, spaces and other resources to get their business off the ground.

Benjamin said the government should make the city more welcoming to businesses by making it more competitive and removing barriers that inhibit business growth.

“We need to make it such that they say, ‘I want to work in Pullman,’” he said.

Parks said the city should collaborate with economic development organizations like Pullman 2040 and the Downtown Pullman Association to promote and foster new business.

Johnson said the city needs to ensure a fair opportunity for businesses, avoid picking winners and losers and not impede their progress.

“Businesses do best when they have less red tape and less bureaucracy,” he said.

When it comes to improving infrastructure in Pullman, most of the candidates listed the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport improvements as a priority. Parks and Benjamin also said creating a south bypass highway should be a priority as well.

Benjamin said a south bypass would alleviate the traffic congestion in the city and make it easier to make improvements to the downtown corridor.

Johnson said the city shouldn’t have made a $10.5 million bond to create a new city hall a priority, when there were other infrastructure problems that needed to be solved, such as eliminating flooding events and improving streets and sidewalks.

Macoll said the city is working with a consultant, BDS, that will craft a downtown master plan intended to help the city improve the downtown business district. Macoll said it is the city’s job to follow through with the consultant’s recommendations, and she will push to make sure that happens.

Transparency was another major topic of the evening.

Johnson said transparency, as well as accountability and improved governance, is among his main priorities as a city council candidate.

Johnson said he often cannot find important city information on the city’s website, and said it is difficult to attend a public city meeting equipped with all the necessary information.

He said the city should be held more accountable in providing this information and should treat the public “like they’re the customer.”

Macoll agreed that it is difficult for people to find information about issues they care about and she, too, said city officials should be held accountable in offering this information. She said this will lead to people making thoughtful decisions when they vote on important bonds or other ballot measures, rather than angry decisions.

Benjamin said the city should provide a toolkit for businesses to help them understand the city’s zoning laws and other rules.

When asked about the $10.5 million bond to pay for the new city hall set to be located at a former church building on Crestview Street, Parks said the city should have done a better job communicating exactly what that bond would pay for, including why it did not include a space for district court.

Macoll also said the city was not clear with its information about the new city hall. She said people “felt like they got sandbagged” after they found out more about the project, including that the city would have to budget $3 million more than anticipated for it.

Benjamin said the extra costs associated with tariffs, high building costs and higher wages is a common problem in the building industry. He said the bond is still a good deal because it would have cost the city $30 million to build an entirely new city hall building.

The candidates were also asked what should be done to entice young people into staying in the community.

Macoll said high schools should encourage some students to look at education options other than a four-year university. She suggested training for trades such as mechanics, electricians and plumbers.

“Because those are the people we need in this community,” she said.

Johnson agreed with that, saying he believes a four-year higher education may not be for everyone.

He and Parks also said it is important to get the youth interested in city government so they are likely to become more involved in city activities.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at (208) 883-4640, or by email to akuipers@dnews.com.