Pendleton mayor dives into swimming pool issue

By Terry Murry on Friday, December 19th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – A young voice was heard at the Pendleton City Council meeting Tuesday. A 7-year-old girl stood up to let her feelings be known during the public comment period.

Mayor McKennon McDonald said the speaker stood on a chair in order to reach the microphone and eloquently spoke about two issues that are important to her. One is the need of a second mobile library for the Pendleton Public Library. (A fund-raising campaign is already ongoing to add to the library’s public outreach plans.)

Second, she spoke about the need for an indoor pool in Pendleton since the one in Blue Mountain Community College was condemned. McDonald said she pointed out that members of the swim team have to travel over 90 miles round trip to use the indoor facility there.

McDonald said she was aware a nonprofit group is exploring ways to fund an indoor competition-sized swimming pool.

“I did make a comment to her that it was my hope that by the time she was on the swim team, if not before that, she would have an indoor pool to swim in,” McDonald said. “She politely but directly told me that she’s already on the swim team.”

McDonald, who related the story on the KUMA Coffee Hour, paused and then summed it up.

“I’ve got to get to work,” she said.

City of Pendleton photo montage of the girl and Mayor McDonald listening to her testimony at Tuesday’s city council meeting.