I recently saw a copy of a column from Mayor Pete Lewis updating the public on plans for economic developement in downtown Auburn. While I’m sure the Mayor and City Council are justifiably proud of current efforts there was an unfortunate reference that economic developement efforts from 1979 forward were “failurers … that led to a sense of loss for the next two decades.”

My intent is not to criticize the mayor but provide a historical context for the many contributions of the mayors, councilmembers and community leaders who served during that time period. Each mayor and council is able to build on the improvements of previous City leaders. As my administration, working with the City Council and the downtown leaders, was able to build on the accomplishments of Mayor Stan Kersey, so too will a future mayor and council benefit from the improvements started by the current mayor and council. Fortunately newspaper accounts are available from that time.

Public policy at the time was to spend tax payer dollars only on public benefit projects rather than purchase private property for future speculation, which is now a fairly common practice through out the region. Mayor Kersey led the cleanup of the area behind Rottles and replaced it with public parking to join the property, which became the Safeway development. He built the current City Hall on the site of the old City Hall to provide a West Main Street anchor to help stimulate downtown business.

I followed Mayor Kersey during the recession of the early ’80s, and because Auburn and the region were dependent on Boeing, we decided to diversify our economic strategy with “Team Auburn” to market the community as a whole as a “great place to live, work and play.”

We worked with the Chamber of Commerce to form the Auburn Downtown Association, which led our marketing efforts. This provided a benefit to downtown, broadened the tax base, but retained Auburn’s special small-town family flavor.

An urban design team helped us focus on a pedestrian-friendly style with a “Main Street, USA” theme.

Consistent with that strategy we updated the comprehensive plan to direct business to preferred locations while protecting the neighborhoods from encroachment. We extended the downtown zone, both north and south, several blocks of Main Street to encourage infill and expansion developement. We replaced one old fire station with two new ones and sold the property for private sector commercial use. We built new streets and replaced old ones with a public bond issue.

We improved the entry way to our downtown by building Bicentennial Park on Auburn Way South. And rather than build a performing arts center, as we had discussed, we worked with the school district to support their efforts, which now provides an eastern anchor to downtown.

We established an arts commission, which produced a downtown mural and the sculpture in front of City Hall, along with other public art throughout the community. The four valley mayors and County Councilman Gary Grant, who all served on the old Metro Council, banded together in 1987 to initiate the Valley Commuter Rail project, and identified the downtown rail station location you use today. The work on Commuter Rail was continued by the mayors who followed us.

At our urging, Metro also provided a circulator bus between the neighborhoods and downtown for a few years. We added downtown living units, such as Gustaves Manor that encouraged residents to walk to stores, the hospital, doctors, restaurants and the Post Office.

With a state grant of $890,000 and a public/private L.I.D., we built the B Street parking lot and rebuilt Main Street. We encouraged businesses to add awnings as we built sidewalks, curbing, light standards, benches, new signage, a color scheme and banners. We planted trees and added flower baskets and flower pots. We started the annual spring cleanup program. We worked with Gene Kasper, who was the Chamber of Commerce Manager, and the Downtown Asscociation to reestablish a long dormant community festival, which became “Auburn Good Old Days” in 1986. Santa’s Parade and a summer music luncheon series on City Hall plaza soon followed.

The first discussion of a Saturday market occured in 1990 and was implemented by later community leaders.

While this was going on, Fred Meyer opened, the Merritt building was constucted and the hospital broke ground on the $9 million expansion and parking facility. We also started our own Municipal Court in downtown setting the stage for the court;s eventual relocation to East Main Street.

As the economy improved in the 1980s, another effort, “Auburn on the Move,” allowed us to attract several other business investments outside the downtown core. One newspaper’s editorial on economic developement wanted to “bottle whatever Auburn was doing.” In a 1989 story about the reimergence of our downtown, it was stated that ” virtually every available space was taken.”

Our plans at the time called for replacing “tavern row” east of City Hall with a downtown park that would serve as an extention of the City Hall plaza for public events. South of City Hall was going to be an annex and conference center, not unlike what has taken place to the east of City Hall.

While the 1990s brought another economic downturn, by then we had built Game Farm Park, along with many other improvements, and the first phase of the Lakeland Hills housing developement for new residents who would one day work in our city.

More important, we were looking ahead and had started the project planning, which became Emerald Downs racetrack and the SuperMall. We also purchased the Olson Canyon property with a Conservation Futures grant. These projects were completed by Chuck Booths’ administration (1994-2001) along with a needed railroad overpass.

Far from being a “failure” the 1980s and 1990s provided many improvements and laid the foundation for many of the amenities the community enjoys today.

The Mayor thanked the Cavanaugh family for their efforts, but Gene Kasper, Don Lisko, Wayne Heisserman, the Rottle family, Lynn Norman, along with the City Councilmembers and City staff, and many others who led the community at that time, should also be acknowledged for their time and civic devotion.

– Bob Roegner served as Auburn Mayor from 1982-1993.