Letter to the Editor: A call for civil dialogue

To the Editor:

My family and I have lived in Lake Forest Park since 1959, two years before we incorporated. I feel that for the past several months we’ve experienced a lack of civility in our public life. I'm concerned.

Three things stand out and trouble me.

1. There's a story being whispered around that one person running for City Council is someone whose public role might be corrupted by a professional life involving real estate. The accusers provide no evidence for that being the case. I happen to know that this person has had a lengthy and public record of service supporting our quality of life in Lake Forest Park, both as a volunteer and as a public official. Her collegial relationships, and work with people in other jurisdictions in the region and statewide have brought tangible benefits to our city, and are doing so to this day.

So what's with these rumors and suspicions? What ever happened to truth??

2. There's continuing hostility to planning a future Town Center that satisfies both the needs of Merlone Geier, the developer/owner, and the vision and economic strength of the City. As I see it, the LFP City Council has been serving citizens by anticipating the possible impacts of Sound Transit's expansion, and providing opportunities for citizens to express themselves so we end up with a vibrant civic center that serves our needs.

Merlone Geier has also been meeting with citizens, showing that they're listening, as well as clarifying their own needs and offerings. However, there's a vocal group that seems to assume that whatever "they" say, "they" are trying to put something over on us & "they" are spending too much money. Why is there this feeling of "them" vs "us"?

What's a way of participating in these important decisions that will best serve us, our children, and this place?

3. I’m also concerned that we aren’t talking about what is the optimal balance of humans and Nature in order to steward our place and have a thriving city. Privileging one over the other brings about an optimal result for neither. Ignoring that question is one reason that we have a developer-owned-mall-city-center where once there were wetlands. I hope this time around, we will embrace our responsibilities as humans living in an urbanized environment with Nature!

Please fellow citizens, let's each of us ask ourselves: How shall I support an honorable civil dialogue as I, a citizen, participate vigorously in a democratic decision-making process? I truly hope our community can be one place in our world where that practice happens!

Anne Stadler

Lake Forest Park