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Resident urges council to pause proposed $900,000 East City Park stage
Summary
A longtime volunteer urged the council to delay a proposed $900,000 permanent stage at East City Park, calling for broader public buy-in and suggesting a lower-cost portable stage as an alternative; another resident voiced agreement during public comment.
During the public-comment period on March 16, longtime Moscow resident Jeff Pearly urged the council to pause plans for a proposed $900,000 permanent stage at East City Park, saying the project would shift costs to taxpayers and risk altering the town's character.
"We are standing on the edge of replacing that legacy with a $900,000 project," Pearly said, saying the stage had been a volunteer-built community asset for decades and arguing that the current financing mix had drifted from grants and donations toward taxpayer burden. He criticized reliance on a small number of private meeting responses and written comments, saying "14 written comments is not a mandate to claim 'unanimous support.'"
Pearly suggested the city consider a high-quality portable stage as a lower-cost option that would preserve green space and could be leased to generate revenue. Jonathan Honish followed at the mic and voiced agreement with Pearly.
The remarks were delivered during the council's public-comment period; the transcript records no formal staff response or motion tied to the comment. The topic may reappear if the council advances the stage project or when related agenda items return for formal consideration.
