Editorial: Puyallup Rotary’s money is a gift, not a conflict

The Puyallup Rotary Club thought it was offering a $50,000 gift to the City of Puyallup. Instead, their offer of money to build a bandstand in Pioneer Park has caused a senseless controversy within the community.

Puyallup council itself is split 4-3 over accepting Rotary’s gift toward the $150,000 bandstand, which would get regular use throughout the downtown summer concert series. And now the city’s business community has gotten involved out of concerns that the new city council is turning its back on downtown redevelopment.

While building a simple bandstand seems like a trivial issue, this controversy may actually signal the early changes in Puyallup politics brought on by the election of John Knutsen and the appointment of Rick Hansen to city council. The new voices on council represent some voters who disliked the direction of the previous council.

Only time will tell whether the newly configured council will serve the people for better or for worse. How it resolves the bandstand question will give us clues.

Puyallup Rotarians probably have no interest in building a bandstand at Bradley Lake Park. They are a downtown Puyallup club. South Hill has its own Rotary Club, which has already made improvements at Bradley Lake. The suggestion by council members Knutsen , Hansen, and Mayor Don Malloy that the downtown club move their project up the hill doesn’t make sense.

Neither does Knutsen’s suggestion that Rotary donate its money to city street and sewer projects. The city’s infrastructure problems far exceed the means of tapping community service clubs. It’s a separate issue deserving of council’s full attention, rather than nitpicking the building of a small bandstand.

It is reasonable, of course, for council to seek community input on the bandstand. They already have the votes of 600 to 1,000 people who turn out for each of the city’s 24-plus summer concerts and plays. They should serve as a good indicator of the community’s support.

With the library, city hall, the activity center and the pavilion all surrounding Pioneer Park, it’s becoming a significant community hub. Communities like Puyallup need a place where people can gather and create a critical mass. That doesn’t make other parks any less important, just gives each a unique identity.

Council’s reception to the bandstand disappointed Rotary of Puyallup. They were proud to be able to give this money to the city for something that will be used over and over again. They wanted to see work started right away so that it would be ready for this summer’s activities. We hope the community organization won’t just walk away.

The Rotary Club’s president says this is something they believe in and they have the support of downtown businesses. If the city wants more information, Rotary will provide it. Luckily for the city, Rotarians aren’t easily discouraged.