Control of Richland council is up for grabs in the 2019 election

Four of seven Richland City Council posts are on the Nov. 5 ballot, offering voters the option to install a new majority.

In an unusual feature of Richland’s charter form of government, the city elects four council members every two years. The person who wins the election with the fewest votes receives a two-year term.

All city council seats are elected at-large, from throughout the city.

The seven-member elected council oversees policy and budgeting for the city of 21,000 households. City Manager Cindy Reents oversees day-to-day management of the city and $269 million budget.

The council selects members from its ranks to serve as the mostly honorary mayor and mayor pro tem — currently Robert J. “Bob” Thompson and Terry Christensen.

Ballots must be returned or postmarked by election day to be counted.

Thompson vs. Slovic

Mayor Bob Thompson holds the two-year seat. He is being challenged by Lillian “Randy” Slovic.

Thompson, a criminal defense attorney, is a 25-year member of the council. Slovic is a former congressional aid and community activist running an aggressive door-knocking campaign.

The race is a study in opposites. Thompson is a cany politician who regularly speaks his mind and keeps his focus on Hanford spending, the anchor to Richland’s economy. He has not publicly campaigned.

Slovic is outgoing and spent the past 10 months door-belling. She vows to bring a more human touch to the city council, noting that citizens tend to get a lecture when they speak up at council meetings.

Their views on possibly changing how council members are elected reflect the difference.

Shir Regev, who is running for a different seat on the council, proposes replacing the at-large method for choosing council members with a district method — like Pasco and Kennewick — that requires council members to live in specific parts of the city.

Richland’s current system has resulted in most of the council members living in south Richland.

Slovic favors district-based seats, saying it would improve geographic representation and make it easier to run and serve.

Thompson disagreed, saying at-large approach offers the council a global view of the city’s needs that avoids pitting the interests of one neighborhood against another.

Thompson has reported no campaign contributions or expenditures to the Public Disclosure Commission, which oversees campaign laws in Washington.

Slovic has raised the most money of any Richland City Council candidate, according to her PDC filings.

She has raised $16,3100 and spent the same amount. She contributed about $7,000 to her campaign.

Anderson vs. Regev

Incumbent Brad Anderson, a Hanford contractor, is being challenged by Shir Regev, a Navy veteran and Hanford health physics technician.

Regev would push to make the city council more answerable to the community by adopting district-based representation on the council.

Anderson said he supports the idea.

Anderson defended the council from accusations it ignores citizens. He said the council makes decisions after a long, thought-out process on topics ranging from the Duportail Bridge car tab fee to development at Amon Creek.

He said they listened but made a choice that couldn’t make everyone happy.

Regev said that if citizens were uninformed, it’s the city’s fault for not posting more information on its website.

Anderson registered with the PDC as a mini filer and will not raise more than $5,000.

Regev has raised $10,500 and spent $10,100, the second-highest in the city race. She has contributed $1,860 to her own campaign.

Lemley vs. Thomas

Incumbent Phillip R. Lemley, a retired Hanford engineer, is being challenged by Lisa Thomas, a registered nurse.

Lemley has been on the council for 10 years, including serving as mayor pro tem.

An Arkansas native who has lived around the world, Lemley says he quickly became involved in the Richland community and civic events after being transferred to the Tri-Cities for work in 2002.

He is proud of his perfect attendance record, saying he has never missed a scheduled council meeting and only one workshop in the past decade. Lemley says that shows his commitment to both his colleagues on the board and the citizens of Richland.

He says his focus first is “protecting the economic engine” of the city, and second is doing what is best for Richland’s residents and businesses.

Thomas is running Kyle Palmer, chairman of the Richland Planning Commissionfor elected office.

She has said during the campaign that she is eager to offer new energy, passion and perspective to the council and, in working with fellow board members on policies, ordinances and the budget, would focus on blighted areas, parks and rezoning.

Thomas has not attended any public candidate forums with Lemley, and has not been responsive to Herald requests for comment, to compare their stances on city issues.

She’s been highly critical of the city manager in the past and the way the city passed over an internal candidate for the police chief position.

Lemley is registered as a mini filer with the PDC and will not raise more than $5,000.

Thomas has raised $9,115, including $4,134 she contributed herself, and spent $11,038, according to her PDC filings.

Christensen vs. Palmer

Incumbent Terry Christensen, a long-time executive who retired from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2011, is being challenged by Kyle Palmer, chairman of the Richland Planning Commission and president of Windermere Group One, a real estate firm.

Christensen has served on the council for two terms and has been the city’s mayor pro tem for four.

Both are Richland natives who share a vision of reviving the city’s core and tackling the challenges of congestion and traffic.

Christensen stresses aspects that promote the economic welfare of the community. Palmer is focused on vitality and livability, including promoting a more walkable city.

Christensen and Palmer both registered as mini filers with the PDC, meaning they will not raise more than $5,000.

The Benton County Voters Guide is posted at bit.ly/2019BentonVotersGuide

This story was originally published October 31, 2019 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Control of Richland council is up for grabs in the 2019 election."