Pasco councilman resigns mid-term for new job in Walla Walla, had served since 2018

A Pasco councilman is leaving office mid-term to lead a schools-based nonprofit in Walla Walla.

Ruben Alvarado made his resignation official this week, telling colleagues at Monday’s Pasco City Council meeting that he will be transitioning at the end of this year to the new job.

He remains in office until Dec. 31.

Alvarado, who represents a large portion of east Pasco, said his wife, Evelyn, has been commuting to Walla Walla for several years and it’s time for them to make the move.

He is the new regional director of Communities in Schools of the Blue Mountain Region. The network’s stated mission is to “surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.”

Alvarado thanked his fellow council members and Pasco city staff for the support they’ve given him, and said he is proud to have served for the past four years.

“This has been a wonderful experience with a lot of growth. I walk away from this council as a changed person, hopefully with a lot more maturity and experiences, having been around this council and around staff,” Alvarado said.

“I am so thankful for the confidence that the community put in me to elect me to this position, and I feel confident whoever is appointed for this seat will continue this great work, and this council will continue to do great things for the city.”

2 members leaving

Monday was the last scheduled council meeting for both Alvarado and Pasco Mayor Saul Martinez, who decided not to seek re-election so he could spend more time with his family.

On Wednesday, Pasco announced that applications for Alvarado’s position are now being accepted, with two years left to fill in his term.

Registered voters who live in District 2 have until 5 p.m. Dec. 30 to apply for consideration to fill the vacancy.

District 2 covers most of the area east of Highway 395, south of “A” Street and east of Cedar Avenue.

Selected applicants likely will be interviewed at the council’s Jan. 3 meeting. However, some council members said whether the appointment is made that same night depends on the number of applicants.

The new council member will face election in 2023 since municipal elections are held in odd calendar years.

People with questions about the process or the responsibilities of a council member are encouraged to call the city manager’s office at 509-545-3404 or email culwella@pasco-wa.gov.

Pasco’s last appointment was in 2016 following the sudden death of longtime Councilman Mike Garrison.

‘Respect and love’

City Manager Dave Zabell said Monday that Alvarado’s departure at the end of the year “does put (them) under the gun” because usually the first meeting of a new year is about the council’s reorganization.

Council members must nominate and elect a new mayor and mayor pro tem, and it could end in a tie with only six on the board to vote.

Mayor Martinez is retiring after 11 1/2 years on the council. He was the city’s first Latino mayor.

Nikki Torres, who won election to his seat, was sworn in Monday and officially will take over Jan. 1.

An emotional Martinez said he is proud of the work Alvarado has done while on the City Council, and thanked Evelyn Alvarado and their family for the sacrifices they’ve made over the years to support his position.

Martinez recognized that Alvarado lost loved ones and has “been through rough times” during this term. But he said the amount of growth that Alvarado has demonstrated since starting in January 2018 is phenomenal.

“I kind of saw you as a little brother at first, speaking from the council. But to see the way you interacted at Tierra Vida and the way you earned the respect and the love of the people there ... and your district, was bar none one of the most beautiful things that a mayor would see,” said Martinez.

“Ruben, your leadership qualities are just awesome. They mix in so well with everything we have here today. ... It’s been an honor to work with you.”

The other council members shared similar sentiments, acknowledging Alvarado’s grace and calm demeanor in handling city business, while being a sounding board and providing guidance and feedback when sought by his colleagues.

First elected in 2017

Alvarado previously served as a Pasco Planning Committee commissioner and the local government sector representative on the Greater Columbia Accountable Communities of Health’s board of directors.

He joined the council after beating Councilman Al Yenney in the 2017 election.

That’s when all seven council seats were up for election following court-ordered redistricting to ensure residents get to pick a candidate who is reflective of their neighborhood.

Alvarado served a two-year term and was re-elected in 2019 to a four-year term.

He described it as an honor serving the residents of Pasco, and sharing the responsibility “with such a strong and diverse council that was always willing to put differences aside for the betterment of the residents of Pasco.”

Alvarado said he is most proud of helping Pasco secure funding for the Lewis Street Overpass and the Peanuts Plaza improvements in downtown, and promoting development to support the industrial sector’s growth to the area.

“I am proud of the things the city has achieved during my tenure,” Alvarado said in a city news release. “I have been a strong supporter of the city’s future development efforts to improve residents’ quality of life while addressing the housing shortage. I will miss making a difference in the lives of Pasco citizens.”

Zabell described Alvarado as a founding member or “plankowner” of the council that was seated in 2018 under the new election system.

“You’re the first one to leave. You’re kind of the one that broke it up, right?” the city manager joked. He added that it was not an easy task for the nearly all-new council, yet they made it look easy.

Zabell said Alvarado has “exemplified how to represent a district and a city at the same time.”

“You always were a Pasco City Council member first, you were looking broadly over the whole city when looking at policies or projects. But a really close second you were the District 2 Pasco City Council representative,” he said. “It was very clear that you used your heart to promote the interests and the concerns of your neighborhood and of your neighbors.

Alvarado said he has seen some amazing changes during his tenure. “Some great things (are) happening in Pasco. It’s a very desirable place to live,” he said.

This story was originally published December 9, 2021 at 10:56 AM.