The Centralia City Council recognized three 20th Legislative District lawmakers for their support in bringing in more than $91 million in spending on projects within the district from the capital budget for the next biennium.
Washington State Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, and Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, attended Tuesday night’s council meeting to accept praise and a proclamation from the council.
The budget includes $5 million toward the City of Centralia nitrates project to help bring safe drinking water in the Fords Prairie neighborhood, $1.092 million for field lights at Fort Borst Park, $541,000 for a Cascade Community Health behavioral health facility in the United Learning Center in Centralia, and $299,000 for a Fox Theatre restoration, among others. It also features $10.2 million in transportation funding to improve road conditions in the Harrison Avenue corridor.
Centralia Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston lauded the lawmakers for their efforts in particular with the nitrates project, resulting from high levels of nitrates found in the aquifers in the Fords Prairie area, the majority of which stemming from the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) operated Bob Oke Game Farm.
“We have people in our community right now who do not have safe drinking water, and we have been working to address the issue. We’ve run into obstacles and roadblocks from some of our other partners, and you all made sure that we would have the funding to help move those people into city water and use that infrastructure,” Smith Johnston said.
The proclamation acknowledges the lawmakers fighting for budgetary requests from city staff and residents late in the budget process and keeping Centralia in mind during a “complex and dynamic” budget session.
Braun thanked the city for its partnership and help with expressing its needs in detail and fighting to improve the community.
“We don’t really get the luxury of saying which city is our favorite, but I will tell you that Centralia makes it easy to fight for your priorities because you come with clear priorities. You come with the follow through, the details we need to make the case, and, most importantly, you execute,” he said. “When we deliver funding, you have got to have a good history of executing. You’ve been a great partner to work with.”
Orcutt augmented Braun’s point by adding the lawmakers must compete against 39 counties and 281 cities in the state that also have needs and priorities.
“This is the way we work for anyone who comes to us that has a valid project and that thinks something is unfair and needs to be corrected. When we see those things, we go to work on them,” he said. “It’s really an honor to be able to work with the City of Centralia and for the City of Centralia because of the good working relationship we’ve had over the years.”
While Abbarno admitted he was not born and raised in Centralia, he said few people love the community more than him as he spent two terms as a Centralia city councilor and has had a hand in numerous community projects and organizations.
“I love this community. I want to see it thrive like every single city and county in our district. I want to see each one of them reach their full potential,” he said. “Obviously, Centralia has a little more personal touch for me because of living and working here and having my kids raised here. No matter where I go in the world, no matter where I retire, I’ll always be from Centralia. Centralia is always going to be my home.”
