Guest Opinion: Clearing the Air on Train Funding

As I mentioned yesterday, I was as surprised and perplexed that a seemingly innocuous post featuring Mike Carrell speaking to DuPont City Council would be usurped for political purposes. While many in DuPont saw it as some state money to help with a local project, it caught the attention of others who felt it offered an opportunity to, well, campaign. It is what they do, after all.

But to some, it is more than a symbol. It is the embodiment of hard work and personal conviction. Lee McDonald wrote and asked if there was room for one more voice on the matter. There is always room for those who ask nicely.

Below is a guest opinion offered by Lee on the matter of DuPont garnering state funds for the dynamite train project.

I have watched with disgust as the negative attack ads have bombarded our mailboxes and television sets. This letter is a matter of personal conviction as I feel the need to come to the defense of State Senator Mike Carrell. His opponent has derided the Senator for supporting a DuPont project to protect and restore a historic Dynamite Train. It is probably true that Senator Carrell could have found a project that has more sizzle and broader appeal, but instead he offered encouragement and support for a small project that needed a big boost. We are grateful and appreciative for his efforts. Senator Carrell is an avid supporter of preserving our district’s historic landmarks, artifacts and buildings before they disappear through development and inaction. The City of DuPont and the DuPont Historical Society are united in their support for protecting the last remaining intact Dynamite Train in the State of Washington. It is an important part of DuPont’s history and could have easily have disappeared. Instead the future will see an attractive heritage based tourist attraction, which will help draw visitors to our Historical Museum and DuPont’s Historic Sites.