My family enjoys soccer. And, frankly, we don’t expect Bellevue-style fields on little ol’ Vashon. That’s sort of why we live here. Because to get those Bellevue-style fields, you have to live in that Bellevue-style culture.

As field users, we agree wholeheartedly that those using the fields should have been required to follow the same protocol as previous user groups. Unfortunately, the park district (and all of us who fund it) are now over a barrel.

So, how will we move forward? One idea is to put the project on indefinite hold, accept the consequences and let this light a fundraising fire under fields-heavy user groups.

I think we also need to ask if personal biases are at work here. I don’t know, but it’s a possibility that must be considered — especially when seemingly risky and illogical decisions that hurt us all have, and are, being made.

Maybe we need a new way of screening future potential commissioners? To ferret out their potential biases and make sure they understand that they serve all of us. Can we ensure that they know our history and precedents?

Can we check that they have agenda planning and facilitation skills?

We need to know if they are, or have been, on the board of any user groups. And does that group want anything from the park district?

Most importantly, our children need to learn how to live within their means. And they’ll learn that best if we do it ourselves.

 

— March Twisdale

 

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