At a recent North Hill Community Club meeting, Des Moines councilmember Melissa Musser made a good presentation seeking ideas and solutions towards restoring downtown Des Moines. The audience brought up the water shortage from Water District 54 as part of the problem. Community activities and business cannot grow without an adequate supply of water.

Perhaps now is the time to start thinking outside of the box!

In this region, clean water is plentiful and cheap. However, funding for commercial wells and water mains is scarce, especially for a small water district like WD 54. Some new WD 54 water mains are being laid.

However, the general suspicion is that the Highline water customers are indirectly paying for those mains in their property taxes.

At the risk of rocking the commissioners' boats, perhaps now is the time for Highline Water District to determine how much it would cost to rebuild WD 54, bring WD 54 up to Highline standards and BUY WD 54. Of course, the cost of repairs etc. would be deducted from the buy out.

Another revenue source that should be looked at is Sea-Tac Airport. Port Commissioner Bill Bryant reminds us in his 2/08/11 email that he is part of the KING COUNTY/SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION. He points out that the Port authorized $771,400 for Auburn's M Street underpass and Moses Lake!

Perhaps now is the time for the airport cities councils to remind the King County/Seattle Port Commission that the Seaport docks and fishing terminal gates belong to Seattle and account for about 30 percent of Port business. The lion's share, the Airport, which represents 70 percent of the Port's business BELONGS TO THE AIRPORT CITIES.

Because of differing community goals 70 percent of the King County/Seattle Port Commission meetings should be held at Sea-Tac and the airport director should show up at those meetings.

Dan Caldwell
Des Moines