This open West Richland City Council seat attracted 2 great candidates. Here’s our pick
Ken Stoker and Theresa Morrell are two solid candidates vying for an open seat on the West Richland City Council.
The opportunity presented itself when longtime West Richland Councilman Rich Buel decided not to run for another term.
Buel will be missed. He’s been on the city council since 2001 and only once in all that time did he ever draw a challenger.
His departure opens the door for someone new to join the team. As it happens, though, Stoker isn’t all that new to the scene. He served on the city council before.
As impressed as we are with Morrell, being able to immediately pick up where he left off gives Stoker an edge, and he gets our recommendation in this race.
Stoker served one term on the city council from 2016 through 2019 and then lost his reelection bid to Kate Moran, who is now running for mayor.
He said many people asked him to run again, including Buel. Stoker said he felt there were things left undone from the time he was on city council. He has been paying attention to council meetings and appears ready to roll if elected.
Morrell is no stranger to West Richland city government, however. She worked for the police department for 20 years and for Benton County Superior Court for 13 years.
She is now retired and said that she, too, had people in the community encourage her to run. She was a Drug Task Force detective, a DARE Instructor and facilitator for Parenting with Dignity classes. She created the Volunteers in Police Service program and served on the board for Special Olympics, Kid’s Haven and other organizations.
Morrell says her only agenda is serving the community. She’s been meeting with citizens and says taxes, the lack of affordable housing and the need to attract more businesses to West Richland are the top issues people are bringing to her attention.
Her specific priorities include finding a way to partner with other cities to address mental health, drug addiction and homelessness. She said the city currently “doesn’t’ support any of that.”
We imagine her years of service with the West Richland Police Department have given her a broad perspective of the community’s needs. Morrell is obviously a compassionate person and she has the makings to be a particularly strong member of the city council.
But Stoker already has proven himself.
He is a staunch supporter of individual property rights and of working for the people. He told The Herald editorial board that the city council sometimes resembles a “glorified homeowners association,” and he finds it disagreeable that people who can’t work with their neighbors go to the council for “a carte blanche change” over the whole community.
When he was on the city council, he advocated for extending more time during the public comment portion of the council meetings so citizens could feel they truly had an opportunity to be heard.
When asked why he wasn’t reelected two years ago, Stoker said it was primarily his family helping with the campaign and that his opponent significantly outspent him.
As with all our candidate recommendations, we encourage readers to watch the video interview in order to fully appreciate what each candidate has to say.
While voters will be well served if Morrell is elected, Stoker is the candidate who will hit the ground running if citizens return him to the city council.
The Tri-City Herald recommends Ken Stoker for West Richland City Council, Position 2.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREBehind Our Election Recommendations
Who decides the recommendations?
Members of The Tri-City Herald editorial board is comprised of experienced opinion journalists and community members, and is separate from The Herald’s newsroom. Conversations are on the record.
What does the recommendation process entail?
Whenever possible, The Herald editorial board meets with opposing candidates at the same time. The questions are largely focused on a candidate’s qualifications and goals. The editorial board then discusses the candidates in each race and decides who to recommend. Board members seek to reach a consensus on our recommendations, but not every decision is unanimous.
Is the editorial board partisan?
No. In making recommendations, members of the editorial board consider which candidates are well prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they agree with us or belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, their readiness for office, their depth of knowledge of key issues, their understanding of public policy and their ability to work with the current board . We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points. The editorial board will endorse both Republicans and Democrats.
Why are the editorials unsigned?
Our election recommendations reflect the collective views of The Herald’s editorial board — not just the opinion of one writer. For the 2022 election, the board includes: Cecilia Rexus, Herald editorial writer; Laurie Williams, Herald executive editor; Jack Briggs, retired Herald publisher; Ken Robertson, retired Herald executive director; Matt Taylor, retired Herald editorial writer; Mike Paoli and Martin Valadez, community representatives.
This story was originally published October 27, 2021 at 1:04 PM.