RSSGOP rivals square off in Benton Co. commission 3 race
Yakima Herald-Republic
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Voters on Nov. 4 will choose between two longtime Republican politicians for Benton County Commissioners Position No. 3.
Twelve-year incumbent Claude Oliver faces challenger Jim Beaver, mayor of Kennewick, the county's biggest city.
Oliver, current chairman of the board of commissioners, has a long political history. He majored in political science at Central Washington University, and served as the 8th District state representative from 1976-1980. He also was the county treasurer from 1981 to 1996, before being elected as commissioner.
Beaver has been on the city council of Kennewick since 1990. His fellow council members have reappointed him as mayor seven times, starting in 1996. He is the city's longest serving mayor.
Beaver leads Oliver in fundraising with $18,210. That includes $800 from the Washington Realtor's Association.
Oliver has raised $13,213.
Beaver's total is the most of any of the four county commissioner candidates. For Position No. 1, Fred Staples is challenging incumbent Leo Bowman.
All four candidates are Republicans.
The commissioner's position pays $89,817 per year.
Beaver also topped Oliver in the August primary, pulling in 57 percent of the votes compared to Oliver's 42 percent.
Oliver says he stands on his track record of growth and accomplishments without a bond measure that would have put the county in debt.
Among them are $50 million worth of renovations to the Law and Justice Center in Kennewick over the past 12 years, a $20 million highway in Finley, and $1 million in improvements to the fairgrounds in Kennewick.
"We've done a lot for the citizens of Benton County," he said.
Oliver also promises to try to save the Fast Flux Test Facility, a mothballed nuclear research reactor that backers believe could spawn a secondary industry in medical isotope production.
Beaver also stands on his track record of accomplishment at his current position. Kennewick has recently seen the construction of a new police station, a renovated city hall, a convention center and a visitors' center to house several tourism and economic development agencies.
He says his knack for teamwork contributed to those developments.
"One guy doesn't get that done," he said.
Beaver promises "a better level of cooperation between county commissioners" and suggests starting with a retreat to prioritize goals.
One of Beaver's favorite issues is water. He believes he can work better with federal legislators to build the proposed Black Rock Reservoir.
Both candidates have declined to take a stance on the location of the county seat. Only voters can decide that, they say.
They're right. The county seat can move only if voters approve a petition.
Staples, a candidate for Position No. 1, is trying to file such a petition to move the county seat from Prosser to the more populated Kennewick.
Beaver signed the petition, not because he wants it to move, he says, but because he wants voters to have their say.
"Let's get it over with," he said.
He believes it distracts county leaders from other issues.
Oliver says a petition could come up any year. Meanwhile, he has to accommodate the growth of the county. That's why he and the other two sitting commissioners are considering construction of a new administration building in Kennewick and renovating the courthouse in Prosser.
"We're going to build the administration complex whether we move or not," he says.
The earliest Staples could reach the ballot is November 2010.
* Ross Courtney can be reached at 930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.
Bio boxes
Jim Beaver
Age: 48
Residence: Kennewick
Occupation: President and CEO of Beaver's Furniture Rentals Inc.
Political experience/community service: Mayor of Kennewick, 1996-present; Kennewick City Council, 1990-present
Education: B.A. in economics, Washington State University.
Family: Married, two children.
An interesting or little known fact: He's an avid runner and participates in marathons.
Claude Oliver
Age: 61
Residence: Kennewick
Occupation: Benton County commissioner, 1996-present.
Political experience/community service: member of the state House of Representatives, 8th District, 1976-1980; Benton County treasurer, 1981-1996.
Education: B.A. in political science, Central Washington University.
Family: Married, two children.
An interesting or little known fact: He grew up working in his family's drive-in restaurant in Yakima.
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