In an unprecendented meeting together, the City Council, the Port Commissioners and Chamber of Commerce members agreed that the Anacortes Futures Project, designed to create a strategic economic development plan for the city, needs to move ahead.
The goal for Monday night’s joint meeting, according to Chamber Executive Director Mitch Everton, was “to allow elected officials and chamber board members to provide direct input to the steering committee members,” who will look for a “facilitator” or contractor to engage the general public in the debate of what kind of future they want in Anacortes.
During the joint meeting, City Council member Cynthia Richardson said, “This is really promising, jot just the end product, but the process leading up to it and the dialog” over the opportunities that lie ahead.
But, for fellow Council member Brad Adams, “The challenge is how to get the public involved,” including town hall meetings, he suggested.
Chamber President Mike Trafton called the Anacortes Futures Project, which was initiated by the Chamber, “unprecedented that we’re trying to develop a plan to map out the future of Anacortes.”
Port Commissioner Steve Hopley, however, cautioned that the end plan needs to be “a broad view for Anacortes, not just an economic part, but the whole future.”
“If we’re going to make tough decisions, we will need to prioritize things,” said Council member Bill Turner, who indicated development decisions include downtown, the Fidalgo Bay waterfront and Highway 20 property.
Businesswoman Zee Hogan, the Chamber’s Past President, said, “The opportunities are amazing,” and urged every to consider affordable housing.
Trafton urged the steering committee to keep lifestyle in mind and he added, “This is not the first time the city has worked on a plan. There should be an implementation strategy, too.”
The steering committee will look for a contractor to manage the next phase, with $75,000 committed from several sources: $25,000 from the City; $25,000 from the Port; $12,500 from the Chamber and $12,500 from MJB Properties.
MJB Properties, which has failed to win support for several proposals for its Fidalgo Bay waterfront properties, recently agreed to join the project.
The steering committee is made up of:
- Dean Maxwell
- Dick Nelson
- Bob Hyde
- Courtney Orrock
- Mike Trafton
- Stuart Janke
- Duncan Frazier
- Laurie Gere
- Mark Bunzel
- Wallie Funk (Emeritus)
- Student Rep (TBD)
Printed copies of the Anacortes Futures Project report are avaialble from Bayshore Office Products for $23. Or you can download a PDF version on the Chamber's Web site.
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