My wife and I purchased our home in Pacific in 1984. It is the only home we have ever had and paid off the mortgage 2008. We raised our two kids here. Our home is not a big fancy house, but it does keep the weather out, heat in and rain off our heads.

Our home is special to us. It is the family home where we have gathered to celebrate birthdays, holidays and special events. We have celebrated multiple generations of baby showers in our home. Twenty-eight years of organic produce from our garden has been shared with many.

Why is it special? Because of our neighborhood and community. Pacific has been a safe place to raise a family. Mostly quiet streets, a few park spaces, trails by the river and a fairly nice swimming hole for the skilled swimmers. And it is close to high quality schools, shopping and theater. It is easy to commute to Seattle, Tacoma, mountain and ocean. For us, it is an ideal place to raise a family.

Pacific is a family community. It is more than 100 years old. It has been home to an Easter egg hunt for more than 60 years and annual community celebrations and parades during Pacific Days. Good, solid, Norman Rockwellish hometown traditions.

Pacific is this way because of the care, hard work and dedication of its citizens. Numerous elected officials have come and gone over the past 100 years. It would be impossible to count the number of people who have volunteered their evenings for years to participate on the many boards and commissions.

In addition, the fire department was operated by volunteers for almost 70 years. Pacific’s own hard-working, dedicated community members doing their very best work to help Pacific remain a safe and family oriented community.

For me, it is so hard to understand why Cy Sun seems to be intent on destroying more than 100 years of hard work and dedication of thousands of dedicated, hard-working, honest people. His actions are the epitome of disrespect to women and men who have served before him and current citizens.

I have tried to give him credit. Maybe he really wants to make things better. But thus far, his actions have not produced results that take Pacific in a positive direction. And time is against him and the City Council now. And time is a ticking time bomb for the residents of our community.

I keep thinking that maybe Cy Sun might take some time and be open minded about his critics. Maybe if he could try to understand the reality of his decisions, he might realize that his opponents have a point. Maybe he could say to himself: “Well, I really thought I was doing the right thing. I gave my best, but it is just not working out.”

Right, wrong or indifferent, Mr. Sun’s actions have set up the City of Pacific for failure, and the citizens who live here will pay the price for a very long time.

– Gary Van Hee