Meet the 3 women finalists for the open Richland council seat
The Richland City Council narrowed its list of 33 candidates to three for an empty seat on the council.
Two longtime city committee members, Marianne Boring and Maria Gutierrez, and the longtime head of Habitat for Humanity, Theresa Richardson, are the finalists to fill the spot left empty by Councilman Brad Anderson.
He stepped down in mid-August for health reasons.
The city received 33 applications, including from a former mayor, previous council member, doctors, scientists and others.
The council picked the finalists in a closed-door executive session based on the applications they received.
Mayor Ryan Luckson said he was looking for a council member who could provide a perspective currently not represented on the council.
Their choices guarantee a second woman on the council.
The finalists will interview for the spot on Sept. 25. The appointment will last until November 2021 when the person will have to run for election to keep the post.
3 finalists
▪ Marianne Boring is no stranger to Richland’s city workings.
A professional land use planner, Boring joined the city’s board of adjustment in 2001. The board is responsible for reviewing special zoning permits and variances in regulations.
In 2006, she became part of the city’s planning commission, which reviews development regulations and helps prepare plans for growth of the city.
In her experience working with government agencies across the West, Boring learned the importance of planning commissions, city councils and county boards.
“I quickly realized these were the folks in charge of shaping the future for their communities, including their residents and business owners,” she told the Herald. “Simply put, I knew I wanted to do the same for our community.”
She has enjoyed her time on the two city boards and understands the commitment and dedication necessary to be on the council. Boring said she spent the last several years reshaping her business, Allwest Services, to keep her in the Tri-Cities.
“I am humbled to take the next step through the interview process and I would be honored to serve our city as a council member,” she said.
If she gets the spot, she plans to run for the election when the term is up.
▪ Maria Gutierrez, a longtime English teacher at Pasco’s two high schools, has been on Richland parks and recreation board for 13 years and she’s been the chairwoman for the past eight.
Her work has given her a familiarity with the city’s planning documents and rules when it comes to parks.
She has spent recent years appreciating the city’s quality of life and its amenities, Gutierrez said. She has enjoyed the role she has played in creating those facilities and services.
“At this point in my life, I hope to expand my contribution to the long-term development and vision of the city, particularly with the planning of the central business district and the Swift corridor,” she told the Herald.
“I believe being on council opens up opportunities for me to be a representative voice of someone who lives next to the central business district,” she said.
If chosen, she would add another voice for minorities, women and a positive role model for her children and other community members, she said.
She plans to run for election if picked.
▪ Theresa Richardson has headed Habitat for Humanity in the Tri-Cities twice. First, for eight years starting in 2004. She returned in 2017 and left in 2019.
She is looking for a chance to serve in a city that invested in her for 30 years, she said. She wants Richland to be a “vibrant community that is attracting jobs and the younger generation.”
It also gives her a chance to bring diverse groups of people together to work toward solutions.
“My personal mandate is that treating people with kindness and respect is a valued universal language,” she said.
She said she has not decided if she would campaign in 2021 for the position if chosen.
This story was originally published September 19, 2020 at 1:07 PM.