West Richland elects a new mayor

By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer

West Richland appears to have a new mayor along with possibly two new faces on its city council, based on the results of the initial vote count Tuesday night.

Donna Noski had received 1,019 votes for mayor, and Mayor Dale Jackson received 775 votes.

In the West Richland council races, Gail Brown appeared to be re-elected to Position 3 with 973 votes to Johan Curtiss' 708 votes.

However, for Position 4, Richard Bloom had received 872 votes, more than Councilman Mark Hanneman's 785 votes.

For Position 1, with no incumbent in the race, Brent Gerry had 887 votes to Angie Tyree's 803 votes Tuesday night.

Noski, with 57 percent of the votes for mayor counted so far, was known to voters as a former city councilwoman and the interim city administrator under Jackson for nine months. She resigned in March 2008 after they couldn't agree on contract terms for her to become the permanent city administrator.

"I'm very excited," she said Tuesday night. "The major part of my campaign was to be a full-time mayor so I can oversee the work programs of our department managers and be available to our citizens on a daily basis."

Noski said during the campaign she planned to eliminate the city administrator position if elected because it wouldn't be needed with her on the job. The city administrator position pays $90,500 to $108,000 a year, a $350-a-month car allowance, a $10,000 life insurance policy and health benefits.

With that money saved, Noski said she could look at improving other city services. One possibility might be create a community relations position.

Noski said she welcomes the growth in West Richland and championed it while on the city council. But she said the city needs more retail growth and it needs to happen faster but she also wants to protect the city's rural atmosphere.

Jackson, who had 43 percent of the vote in the initial count, ran on his record after serving as mayor since 2006 and a councilman before that for six years. Under Jackson as mayor, West Richland grew, the crime rate dropped, sales tax revenue increased and a master plan was put in place.

In the council Position 1 race, Gerry had 52 percent of the vote Tuesday night for the seat that has been held by Julie Jones, who decided not to run again.

Gerry, the owner of Richland AutoCare Center, was optimistic about his lead Tuesday night but reserved comment until more ballots are counted. A 16-year resident of West Richland, he said during the campaign he was committed to economic growth, a sensible budget and public safety.

To continuing moving forward West Richland must enhance accessibility to Interstate 82 and expand its tax base, he said. New business is needed, but the city needs to be careful that it is appropriate for the community, he said.

In the council Position 3 race, Councilwoman Gail Brown received 58 percent of the vote. A lifelong resident of West Richland, she said during the campaign that her knowledge of the city's history and traditions are an asset to the council.

Working with the Port of Kennewick is a key to West Richland's economic development, as is strategic development of the city's water and sewer infrastructure to meet the needs of growth.

Her goals are to promote economic development, to work toward a Red Mountain interchange and to finish the highway through West Richland. She favors developing low-income and senior housing and doing away with some of the rundown trailer homes in the city. She works for Lutheran Community Services as a social worker.

In the council Position 4 race, Bloom received 53 percent of the vote counted Tuesday night. Bloom, who was running for the city council for the second time, is an environmental compliance officer at the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant.

He went door to door in the campaign and found people agreed with him that government needs to live within its means, he said Tuesday night.

He is concerned that West Richland is projected to have spent $370,000 over its planned budget for this year, with $177,130 of that above normal revenue, he said during the campaign. The council needs to drive the budget, rather than sit back and watch, he said.

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Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

West Richland elects a new mayor

By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer