City council votes to put consolidation to the people

The city of Grand Coulee voted to put consolidation, or the merging with other area towns, on next year’s ballot, the first of the four local towns to do so.

Councilmember Tom Poplawski spoke about the issue at the Oct. 16 council meeting.

“We’re in a position now where we have some things moving,” Poplawski said.

He had attended a consolidation discussion meeting at The Wine Bar last month. “I believe Grand Coulee should step to the front of this and move to the head of the line and say ‘we are in favor of this,’ and this council should vote to be in favor of it.”

“My personal view is if we put this on the ballot, we know Grand Coulee may or may not participate, because it will either be voted up or voted down,” Poplawski continued. He said it’s important to know which towns really want to consolidate.

After a vote, Poplawski said, “we know what entities are at the table and now we figure out how to make it work. Otherwise we may never determine who really wants to play.”

Poplawski encouraged the city to set money aside for putting the issue on the ballot.

“It doesn’t start unless somebody starts somewhere,” Poplawski said.

Another path toward getting the issue on the ballot in the separate towns would be to gather signatures. A council voting to put the issue on the ballot saves people the time of doing so.

The five-member council voted unanimously in favor of putting the issue on a future ballot for a vote of the people.