Themes of safety resonated during Tuesday’s City Council meeting as the council discussed enhancing the image of Pullman for the future.

Council members and various city department heads reviewed a list of goals, highlighting suggestions compiled by the community aimed toward improving the quality of life.

From local airport expansions to added bike stations, City Supervisor Mark Workman said he believes each goal established will help Pullman prosper.

“They’re all intended to improve Pullman, improve the livability in Pullman, improve the functionality of Pullman,” Workman said. “It’s a visioning process that we do every year.”

The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport development project remains as one of the City Council’s highest priorities to get completed. The runway must be lengthened and realigned in order to ensure fluid and safe operation of flights coming in and out of Pullman, Workman said.

“We need to reconstruct the airport runway and taxiway for safety reasons,” Workman said.

Pullman city officials are currently functioning on a waiver with the airport, which allows commercial and charter flights to continue operation.

Workman said without the waiver and ability to go through with the construction project, Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport could turn into a rural airport like the one in Colfax. 

“If we are not able to do the project we will lose that waiver,” he said. “We will lose our commercial airline service and charter flight service.”

Land-based forms of transportation were another topic of concern at last night’s meeting. Council members discussed the need for improved pedestrian and bicycle paths throughout the city.

Councilman Nathan Weller said an addition of bike racks might attract more potential users if implemented in visible areas throughout Pullman. Weller suggested increased communication with Washington State University.

“Maybe there’s opportunity for collaboration with WSU’s bike plan,” Weller said.

Weller asked ASWSU liaison Kevin Ketcham if it would be possible for Green Bike stations to one day appear in downtown Pullman.

“We’ve built a relationship that we want to continue in the future,” Ketcham said. “There’s definitely going to be a continuation of discussion in terms of putting university assets out in the city.”

Ketcham said ASWSU would be open to the idea of expanding Green Bike stations off campus.

“ASWSU sponsored one on Ruby Street, the first station off campus,” he said. “We can go further than that.”

One council member voiced a desire to beautify the city.

A growth in community awareness is something Councilman Al Sorensen said is much needed around town.

“Let’s make Pullman look better,” Sorensen said.

Faulty streetlights and trash scattered across Pullman’s roadways are a few issues Sorensen said could decrease if people reported them more often. He said it should be a multi-group effort to make Pullman more aesthetically appealing.

“This isn’t just geared at city employees, it’s geared at everyone that either lives in Pullman, works in Pullman or anything else,” he said. “It’s having pride in Pullman.”