Pacific Mayor Cy Sun is destroying the city we love. He may be sincere, but his actions after one short year in office have caused almost irreparable harm.
We must act
NOW if there is any hope to save Pacific. This page details why the recall is necessary, urgent and our only hope to restore sanity to our city.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Why We Love Pacific

Former City Council Member Gary Van Hee shared these thoughts with us recently. These are the reasons why its so important to save our city; why its vital that we fight hard even when the challenges seem so great. It's time for a fresh start that takes us back to our roots - both of which are possible if the citizens of Pacific are allowed to vote on this recall soon.

My wife and I purchased our home in Pacific in 1984.  It is the only home we have ever had and paid off the mortgage 2008.  We raised our 2 kids here and they are now grown adults.  Our home is not a big fancy house, but it does keep the weather out, heat in, and rain off our heads. 

Our home is special to us.  It is the family home where we have gathered to celebrate birthdays, holidays and special events.  We have celebrated multiple generations of baby showers in our home.  Twenty eight years of organic produce from our garden has been shared with many.

Why is it special?  Because of our neighborhood and community.  Pacific has been a safe place to raise a family.  Mostly quiet streets, a few park spaces, trails by the river and a fairly nice swimming hole for the skilled swimmers.  And it is close to high quality schools, shopping, and theatre.  It is easy to commute to Seattle, Tacoma, mountain and ocean.  For us it is an ideal place to raise a family. 

Pacific is a family community.  It is over 100 years old.  It has been home to an Easter egg hunt for over 60 years and annual community celebrations and parades during Pacific Days.  Good, solid, Norman Rockwellish home town traditions.

Pacific is this way because of the care, hard work and dedication of its citizens.  Numerous elected officials have come and gone over the past 100 years.  It would be impossible to count the number of people have volunteered their evenings for years to participate on the many boards and commissions.  In addition the Fire department was operated by volunteers for almost 70 years.  Pacific’s own hard working dedicated community members doing their very best work to help Pacific remain a safe and family oriented community.  

For me, it is so hard to understand why Cy Sun seems to be intent to destroy over 100 years of hard work and dedication of thousands of dedicated, hard working, honest people.  His actions are the epitome of disrespect to women and men who have served before him and current citizens.  

I have tried to give him credit.  Maybe he really wants to make things better.  But thus far his actions have not produced results that take Pacific in a positive direction.  And time is against him and the city council now.  And time is a ticking time bomb for the residents of our community.

I keep thinking that maybe Cy Sun might take some time and be open minded about his critics.  Maybe if he could try to understand the reality of his decisions, he might realize that his opponents have a point.  Maybe he could say to himself;  “Well I really thought I was doing the right thing.  I gave my best but it is just not working out”.  

Right, wrong or indifferent Mr. Sun’s actions have set up the City of Pacific for failure and the citizens who live here will pay the price for a very long time.   

Gary followed up his letter with more memories...

One Easter when my daughter was 3 or 4 I took her to her first Easter Egg hunt at Pacific Park.  My wife, Cindy, thought she was too small and felt that we should not take her.  But I persisted and convinced Cindy that she had nothing to worry about.  Cindy stayed home and prepared Easter dinner and I took Alyssa to her first Easter Egg hunt.
 
Alyssa was all dressed up.  Easter dress, bonnet, shiny shoes and basket.  So we lined up and the appropriate place for her age group and gazed out upon the many colorful eggs just lying there waiting to be hunted. Suddenly the siren blew and Alyssa was off like a shot.
 
But as I saw her take off, she suddenly blended into the sea of kids all dressed up.  There seemed to be hundreds of bonnets, dresses and baskets.  Which one was mine? 
 
Suddenly I thought -  Ooooh,  Cindy will not be happy that I lost Alyssa at the Easter Egg Hunt.  As I began to figure out what to do next I looked at the river.  There were volunteer firefighters lining the river.  OK, I thought.  She won't get into the river.  Then I surveyed the far reaches of the park, looking at the worst possible places.  Well Alyssa was not in those places.  Cindy might be happier now.
 
Then I caught glimpse of Alyssa, then gone again into the sea of bonnets, baskets and cute little dresses.  Then I realized that if anything happened this would be Alyssa’s last Easter Egg hunt until she was a grown woman living on her own. 
 
As I settled down a little I thought; well Alyssa will just need to find me.  I will watch the perimeters, stay close by and she will find me.  For the next few tense moments I would catch a glimpse of her every now and then.  And finally she found me, just as I thought, and we took her treasures back to Cindy.  

When my son. Joshua was 3 or 4 I took him for his first hunt.  Alyssa had 4 years of experience by then.  And I lost Joshua too, but I was a little less panicky.  Been there, done that.  And after a few years of them hunting eggs, year after year I finally let Cindy know about how I first lost Alyssa at the Easter Egg hunt.  But by then, Joshua and Alyssa were able to enjoy this wonderful family event.  

I wish the Easter Egg Hunt would return to Pacific.  It started in about 1945 and continued until the Fire Department was no longer volunteer.  About 70 years or so.

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