Editor:

As the past owner of The Pendleton Cafe and Coffees, I would like to comment on the future of Pendleton and the mayor's race.

Over our 7 years, I saw a rise in our customer base as we built our business and then a steady decline. Businesses would come and go on the Square. When we had a lot of vacant storefronts and businesses going out, our mayor and administrator would say that there was not much, if anything, they could do about this from a city government perspective. But in those times when new businesses opened up, and store fronts were fairly full, (like now) they were there to take credit for it and call it economic development.

Pendleton enacted a hospitality tax around 2005 and is collecting around $50,000 a year under this tax. How has this tax helped Pendleton attract more of a customer base to Pendleton? It has helped with capital improvements that the town’s general fund could not afford but little if any in the way of increased tourism or visitors; in fact those numbers have declined since 2005. Having a vision without a plan is just that — having a vision.

I feel that our town is missing out on many opportunities. Networking with other towns, attending Town Administrative Forums, attending citizen and group meetings, researching what other towns are doing in the way of grants and creating a viable business plan are just a few. It is our town’s responsibility to create the conditions that small businesses like mine can succeed in.

Pendleton needs a new leader who can take a vision and turn it into a reality. Randy Hayes, who has planned economic development as a key platform point, will take us to the next level and turn a vision into reality.

Dennis and Josann Thomas

Pendleton