Coming out from under the bus

Brilliant Plan: “Grand Coulee Considers Compelling Cleanup,” front page article in the May 29th Star.

I asked “our” mayor and “our” city council to enforce the city ordinances early in 2010, and then whole heartedly in 2012, not write new laws, just enforce the ones that are already written. They assured me they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, or at least didn‘t know how to enforce them? Didn’t make sense to me. I even suggested contacting Coulee Dam and getting their input on how they made such wonderful improvements to their town. Seemed like that was out of the question, too. And now they are asking for advice; hip, hip, hooray?

I was made to feel like I should be ashamed because my place looks so nice, and that I shouldn’t expect others to live up to my expectations. I never once asked for that, nor do I expect anyone to live up to my expectations, but I did expect others to live up to the expectations of “our” town’s ordinances! Although I am very proud of how my place looks, and am complimented on it all the time. I asked for a clean neighborhood (which it wasn’t), and had hoped eventually, a clean town. It was obviously too much to ask for.

Thanks to the city council and the mayor and their lack of following through with the enforcements of the ordinances, I was thrown under the bus, and the blame that was laid on me angered a lot of the people in this neighborhood, and most are still angry. I just ignore and go on with my own life. I’ve been lied about, had false police reports filed against me, I have been given numerous hand gestures (some of which regrettably I’ve returned) snickered at, made to feel unsafe if I didn’t stay on my own side of the street, all because I asked that this neighborhood get cleaned up. Shame on me!

I was told that I called the people in this neighborhood ghetto rats; never did! Have been told that I am prejudiced, which again I’m not! Like I have always said, scum comes in many colors, and scum is scum, and most people just recognize it for what it is. People that “really” know me, know that is further from the truth. I did say that this neighborhood looked like a ghetto, which it did, and in some places still does! That was and is no lie, just open your eyes and look! I have learned to consider the mouths that these statements have come from, and these same mouths LIE! But I just consider the source. I have been okay when any of these people wanted to use me for one thing or another. But I have learned my lesson well on that one, and it won’t happen again.

The improvements in this neighborhood have been many. Some are just a temporary guise; seen it too many times not to recognize that. Some I’m hoping are permanent, but the sincere improvements that have been made are wonderful.

There has been a huge junk removal campaign going on, selling of derelict vehicles or at least moving to sites else where, cleaning up some properties (that needed it badly). Making the park that was created to be a park?, looking like a park again instead of a used car lot, or dumping grounds for derelict vehicles, and a night time meeting place. There’s been a remarkable reduction in traffic, both foot and vehicle(s), another blessing, and one I hope gets better and better! But I understand it’s just because one of the main culprits to this neighborhood looking like it has, is going to be moving to another section of our state. Wish somehow we could see the before and after of that neighborhood. All I can say is: Good-bye!

I am thankful that this neighborhood has improved, and hope that the improvements will keep coming. But on the other hand I feel bad where this next landing spot will be and what it will look like, and become in a short period of time. But that will be that town’s job to see that it doesn’t happen. Doesn’t anyone ever realize that once you allow mess to take over, it spreads like cancer and destroys everything around it. Look at places like Spokane; you constantly hear that they are taking back their neighborhoods. My question is “Why was it allowed to be taken away in the first place? I see a chance of this neighborhood looking like the proud place people would like to live in, and raise their kids, not counting their blessing that they don’t have to live here. I would and do hope that the improvements that have been made “remain” and that more improvements are yet to come to “our” neighborhoods, and “our” town. And I also want to believe that the city will follow through with this one! You have much work ahead of you!

Becky Billups

Grand Coulee