Kennewick council incumbent faces challenger in one of most competitive Tri-Cities races
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Tri-Cities Nov. 7, 2023 General Election
Here’s everything you need to know about local elections in the Tri-Cities this November.
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Kennewick City Council has just one competitive race on the ballot this November, but it’s a key one.
Position 7 incumbent Jim Millbauer has found himself increasingly at odds with the rest of the city council on certain issues, and now he’s facing a challenger who would likely make that 5-2 majority a 6-1 block. Four of Kennewick’s council seats are at-large, meaning they represent the city as a whole, rather than a specific area or neighborhood.
Some issues he has found himself at odds with others on the council were starting meetings with a prayer and zoning changes to allow development on Thompson Hill.
“What I offer is discussion, we have sometimes robust discussions ... I think it’s about building those relationships,” Millbauer said.
His opponent Ted Owens said he prefers to describe himself as a civil libertarian, and that while he may share some of the council majority’s conservative views, that does not mean he will be a rubber stamp vote.
Kennewick Councilmembers Chuck Torrelli, Pos. 5, and Brad Beauchamp, Pos. 6, also are up for reelection, but did not draw challengers. Owens had initially filed against Torrelli, who is often the council’s other dissenting voice, but later shifted to the Pos. 7 race against Millbauer.
About the candidates
Owens is the former general manager of Fiesta Foods in Pasco. In the Voters’ Pamphlet, he described his governing philosophy as “based on judeo-christian values.”
Owens is a 20-year resident of Kennewick and a former prison chaplain in Multnomah County and volunteers his time with Union Gospel Mission. He is endorsed by the Benton County Republican Party.
Millbauer has lived in Kennewick for 37 years. He is a retired pipefitter and project steward at the Hanford site. He volunteers his time with the United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties.
He was first elected to the council in 2019. Millbauer is not endorsed by the Benton County Democrat Party, but they have given his campaign access to their voter information database, which was listed as an in-kind donation.
“I think it’s about communication and collaboration, working with others,” Millbauer said of this time on the council.
Millbauer said that the council has been able to work together for the business of the city, but it’s issues that may be based on personal beliefs that have been contentious. He said he has worked with Mayor Pro Tem Gretl Crawford on the council’s ethics committee to help mediate those issues when they arise.
On the issues
Owens said he would apply his experience as a business administrator to fiscal policy.
“We need to respect our citizens’ dollars we receive from them and use them the best we can,” he said.
Some of Owens’ priorities include responsibly supporting growth, finding solutions to homelessness issues the city is facing and working together to ensure diverse perspectives are included.
Owens is against wind farms, which he said do not produce reliable energy.
Millbauer said he has spoken to the land and farm owners involved and supports their decision to use their land to produce energy.
Owens has said he is for expanded services for mental health care, but he also suggested the city or state should consider finding a way to involuntarily commit people.
“My experience is about half of the folks experiencing homelessness are seeking help, and as a community we should do what we can to provide that help to integrate back into society,” Owens said. “We’ve got about half that don’t, or can’t, and so when I say can’t much of it is because of drug abuse and what leads to that is mental illness. So I think one of those things our community needs to have a conversation about is how do we handle those 50 percent that don’t want the help?”
“We used to have involuntary commitment, which is something we don’t have in the state today. I think if that’s brought to the council and the public we need to have some real civil liberties policies to make sure we’re not incarcerating .... Someone who has mental illness or has drug addiction, they cannot make a good decision in that state about their health, their safety and the safety of the community,” Owens said.
Millbauer said he supports the city’s current approach to homelessness, with stronger services for helping people with mental illness and addiction. He also suggested forming a community-wide taskforce to address the issue of homelessness. He noted that the council has been pro-active in discussing the issue.
If elected to another term, Millbauer hopes to focus on supporting sustainable development, improving infrastructure and growing the quality of life for residents.
On the hot-button subject of book bans, Millbauer said what a child reads is a decision their parent needs to make.
Owens is not in favor of banning books, but he is in favor of stronger separation of topics in libraries so that “adult” subjects aren’t mixed with children’s books. He didn’t specify what material he believed should be separated out, beyond pornography.
Both candidates support renewing the county’s Public Safety Sales Tax. Millbauer said that most residents he’s spoken to have been supportive of the tax continuing and the need for strong police funding.
Owens agreed, but added that he is concerned about the lack of a sunset clause and hopes to see more transparency in the spending.
“I won’t sit here and say that I’m better than Mr. Millbauer. He has a different set of experiences than I have, so it’s up to the community to decide which set of experience they prefer,” Owens said.
“We each bring a different perspective to the table that may or may not be what the citizens want. I just believe in giving back and doing the right thing, and I believe my experience has shown that,” Millbauer said.
Ballots for the Nov. 7 election are already in the mail and must be postmarked by Nov. 7.
This story was originally published October 21, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
