It’s not funny to live in a town that spends so much money to have someone tell them how to make the town better and then ignore most of the input.

The truth is, we live in a wonderful town that has grown up on naval aviation and that is where our strength lies, yet we ignore it.

If it’s a tourist destination we want, then all we have to do is make one, using the strengths we have.

Let’s start a Naval Aviation Air Museum! There would be no shortage of people to get involved. The gentleman who wants to bring a PBY aircraft to the Island, Embery Riddle Aeronautical University, Skagit Valley College, the City, the Navy and a whole host of available volunteers. The possibilities are endless.

Get the schools involved and make the restoration of the planes part of the curriculum for obtaining an A and P license. Set it up so that visitors to the facility can see the work being done and talk with the students and volunteers as they work. Court young volunteers from the base who have the current training provided by the Navy. This is a win-win situation and has the potential to grow into a large facility with huge community involvement.

Or we can just be happy to spend money on consultants and let the A-6 stay at the City Beach Park, covered in bird droppings.

Robert E. Clark, AMEC USN Ret.

Oak Harbor