Local leaders meet for an update on Pullman 2040

PULLMAN — Local leaders came together Wednesday evening to reflect on Pullman 2040, an initiative that envisions the future of the small town.

Officials met during the Pullman 2040 Fall Summit at the Courtyard by Marriott. The night was spent identifying the project’s focus areas, as well as hearing updates from regional organizations that have taken steps to support the community.

Pullman 2040 began in 2016 when the city of Pullman, Pullman Chamber of Commerce and Washington State University came together to engage the community in creating a long-term vision for Pullman. Its goal is to create an action plan to ensure established priorities are achieved.

In 2020, the three entities created the Town Gown Collaborative, a memorandum of understanding agreement that highlights the symbiotic relationship needed to address areas of improvement in Pullman.

The project was awarded the Association of Washington Cities’ Municipal Excellence Award in 2021. The award recognizes innovative city projects that aim to improve the quality of life for its residents.

Most recently, the Innovia Foundation announced a partnership with Community Heart & Soul this year. The town was awarded a $10,000 grant from Community Heart & Soul, as well as a $10,000 match from Innovia to bring the program to Pullman.

Nolan Glueckert, rural engagement manager at Innovia, said the funds will be used to establish the program that gathers community input, identifies goals and creates a community action plan.

The multiyear process will begin this November. Officials will begin interacting with residents to get a picture of what they imagine Pullman’s future will look like.

Marie Dymkoski, executive director of the chamber, said Pullman 2040 is a long-range vision. Its focus is improving Pullman’s health and safety, community and identity, education and learning, growth and development, and recreation and the environment.

Carrie Chase, administrator at the Community Action Center, said the organization is focused on improving people’s well-being. It’s most known for running the food bank, which she said gave out more than 288,000 pounds of food in 2023.

She said the center never turns anyone away, and offers an array of services like affordable rental housing, energy assistance, home weatherization programs and more.

Mayor Francis Benjamin said the COVID-19 pandemic made the community lose its connection to neighbors. To address this, the city is working to recruit those interested in hosting neighborhood gatherings. The get-together would invite people from within a few blocks of the host, as well as city councilors representing the district, to interact and get to know one another.

He said the city is also putting together wayfinding kiosks that will be placed around town to demonstrate Pullman’s walkability. The placemarkers show how easy it is to get around town, and recommend the best route to community gathering spaces, landmarks and other sites.

McKenzie Brumet, vice president of the chamber, said when the YMCA of the Palouse announced its closure in August, the community was in need of an alternative. The Boys & Girls Club of the Lewis Clark Valley stepped up and expanded its programs to Pullman.

The club offers memberships for $40, and afterschool programming is $50 a week; however she said no child is turned away because of the inability to pay.

Tony Bean, executive director of the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, shared the new terminal was finished this year. He said the debt-free development was needed and greatly improves transportation.

Chris Duke, executive director of the Phoenix Conservancy, is committed to restoring the Palouse’s ecosystem. He announced that more than 40 areas in Pullman are planned for pocket prairies — a small-scale restoration site that incorporates native plants into urban settings.

He said mini-ecosystems provide a natural habitat for wildlife, improve soil retention and save water because most of the plants are drought-resistant.

Pullman 2040 hopes to continue engaging with the community and fostering relationships with local organizations to achieve greatness in the years that lie ahead.

Learn more about Pullman 2040 at pullman2040.org.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com