As the year comes to a close, many of us pause to look back at the year that was, and 2010 certainly offered news junkies plenty to sink their teeth into.
In East Pierce County, this year brought us a highly contentious senate race, zoning arguments, a high profile car accident and acquittal, new school buildings and much more.
The Courier-Herald dug through our archives to find the ten biggest stories of the year, the ones that kept us talking through the warm winter, wet summer and snowy fall.
Here’s what we’ve come up with. And If we left off one of your top stories from the year, let us know!
Click here to see stories 10-6!
5. Could East Pierce lose bus service?
The possibility of losing bus service loomed heavy on the minds of East Pierce residents in 2010 and despite a fare increase in November, unless voters approve a three-tenths of 1 percent increase in local sales tax on the Feb. 8 ballot to fund Pierce Transit, major cuts will occur in the service. A drop in tax revenue the past two years has left Pierce Transit with a $68 million funding gap, even while demand is up. Proposition 1’s passage would allow Pierce Transit to continue providing service at the current level and perhaps fund some expansion, though originally the transit authority planned to cut many routes to East Pierce County, while maintaining taxing levels, prompting an outcry from the small cities set to lose service. After discussion with the small cities, the Pierce Transit board revamped its plans to keep service in the area, assuming the ballot measure passes. Starting in June 2011, a reduction of a.m. and p.m. trips and shuttle service would occur. The frequency of bus service will decrease by half in some areas. From Buckley to Bonney Lake there would be two a.m and p.m. trips only. Trips to the Bonney Lake Park and Ride and from Prairie Ridge to Bonney Lake and Sumner would operate on a limited schedule. These would be the Bus Plus or shuttle vehicles. Route 408, connecting the Bonney Lake Park and Ride with the Sumner Sounder station would only have a.m. and p.m. trips. Shuttle service would also be strongly affected and won’t operate during the day. Voters will have the final say in February.
4. Sumner’s north end MIC overlay
A manufacturing and industrial center (MIC) overlay, adopted in October 2009, became the source of several heated meetings during 2010, in which both sides argued their cases. People in favor of the overlay view it as a way for Sumner to qualify for more state funding, which it could use toward road projects, viewed as a necessity. The opposition sees it as the first step onto a slippery slope toward big-box retail and industrial buildings, which would ultimately cause the quiet little town to resemble Fife or Tukwila. Councilmember Matt Richardson, the ordinance’s most outspoken opponent, said Sumner will grow rapidly because the council will not stand in the way of the development or the funding the city may receive.The council maintains they’ll make decisions based in the best interest of Sumner, but in Richardson’s opinion, the council did not fully examine the issue. Mayor Dave Enslow, who supports the overlay, disagreed with Richardson’s claims, saying the council is in favor of the overlay and makes its own decisions, adding that the overlay provides an opportunity for additional jobs in Sumner. Council has the opportunity to change the comprehensive plan once each year.
3. Cascade Water Alliance takes over Lake Tapps
After years of work and several competing bids and agreements, the Cascade Water Alliance this year officially took over operation of Lake Tapps. In February, the mayors of Bonney Lake, Sumner, Buckley and Auburn all signed an agreement with the water provider ensuring that their cities would be assured water if and when needed. This summer, Cascade presided over their first fill of the lake, which was hampered by dry weather and a drawdown that went further than usual, though all parties involved were pleased with lake levels through the summer. In December, the Department of Ecology officially granted the Lake Tapps water right to the Cascade Water Alliance allowing them to take an average 48 million gallons per day when the project is completed in approximately 50 years.
2. The End of Cascadia
Though they officially filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2009, 2010 saw the Cascadia project officially come to an end when in September the property reverted to the possession of Homestreet Bank. Homestreet foreclosed on $75 million in loans in 2009. Bankruptcy proceedings on the 4,200-acre planned community began June 22 in Seattle and representatives for Cascadia presented a refinancing plan involving a purchase of the development and company. Plans fell through and despite signs that proclaimed an opening date of Summer 2010, the land – broken into two parcels valued at $44 million and $17 million – reverted back to Homestreet. Cascadia was originally purchased in 1991 and was designed as a 6,500-home community that contained retail and industrial land. Much of the roads and infrastructure are in place, though presently the only building in the development is Donald Eismann Elementary School, which is presently housing students from Bonney Lake Elementary during construction. The bank has yet to release their plans for the project.
1. The Saga of the Senate Seat
The battle over the area’s state senate seat got off to an early start in 2010 when Sen. Pam Roach was barred from Republican Caucus Meetings for the year. According to a Jan. 20 letter to Roach from leaders of the Caucus, Roach was found in violation of the Senate’s “Respectful Workplace” policy on multiple occasions. The reprimand barred her from Caucus meetings and meeting rooms and limited her contact to Caucus staff to going through her legislative assistant. Roach at the time said the issues stemmed from an incident between her and the Republican Senate Attorney and because she was “vocal in pointing out the failings of leadership.” The reprimand became the primary issue for Roach’s opponents during the summer primary season in the fight over the senate seat Roach has maintained for four terms. Two Democrats and a late-addition Republican tossed their hats into the ring, all premised on Roach’s inability to work with her caucus. Voters were unimpressed, however, and sent Roach on to face fellow Republican and Sumner Councilman Matt Richardson in the general election. The two traded blows all season in what would be one of the dirtiest campaigns in recent memory, beginning with Roach’s legal challenge and victory over the scope of Richardson’s voters’ pamphlet statement. Soon after his name appeared as a general election candidate, allegations of past sexual abuse when he was a minor surfaced surrounding Richardson and dominated discussions about the race. Though the charges were expunged from his record in 1993, the allegations against Richardson appeared on websites opposing him and in advertisements from the Roach campaign. The pair traded complaints with the Public Disclosure Commission through the fall and the nature of the allegations against Richardson even prompted two former Democratic opponents and a sitting “Independent Democrat” state representative to publicly throw their support behind Roach. Richardson was also forced to fend off attacks from residents and political opponents during council meetings, who used the public comment sessions to offer further allegations against him. In the end, voters had their say, as Roach easily bested Richardson in the general election by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, earning 66.71 percent of the vote and a fifth term in Olympia. In the aftermath of the election, Richardson has continued to battle the allegation and accusations at Sumner city council meetings as both he and his political opponents on the council have publicly called for each other’s resignation. The public Disclosure Commission continues to investigate some of the complaints filed during the election.
Send your top stories of 2010 suggestions to blnews@courierherald.com
