The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WALLA WALLA—Community Council seeks suggestions from any and all community members to help determine the topic for the upcoming 2021-2022 study. Past study topics included: affordable housing, education, economic growth, outdoor recreation, and food insecurity.

“Community Council facilitates these studies to better understand and address issues that affect our region’s quality of life, which encompasses Columbia and Walla Walla counties and the Milton-Freewater area. Past studies and subsequent advocacy for recommended change have shown how much we can do when we work together. There is tremendous capacity in the “Power of Us” – this energy is first developed through the study process and then harnessed and directed through the implementation effort. The only thing needed to get the “study” ball rolling again is the next topic.”

Do you have a community-wide concern, issue, or problem you’d like to present?

Does it affect the quality of life or the economic well-being of a large number of people?

Is it likely to attract broad participation from the community?

Can the topic be clearly defined and then studied?

Is it likely that the issue can be resolved by fact-based analysis?

Is it a new issue that has not been a subject in previous Community Council studies?

If you know of such a topic, then please share your idea with Community Council.

Once a topic has been selected, Community Council will convene a study committee (open to the public) to learn about the issue and develop recommendations for positive change. The study will last 26 weeks and culminate in the publication of a study report that includes findings and recommendations. After that, Community Council will convene an Implementation Task Force (also open to the public) to advocate for implementing the study recommendations.

Visit Community Council’s website to submit a topic. Or send your ideas to us at PO Box 2936, Walla Walla, WA 99362. For consideration this year, please submit topics by March 5, 2021.

If you would like more information on the study process and are interested in discussing your idea before submitting it, please contact our Study Coordinator, Catherine Veninga, at Community Council or email her at cveninga@wwcommunitycouncil.org.