Board of Commissioners, District 2: Bouchey offers valuable experience in agriculture

It's Republican Kevin Bouchey, the Toppenish farmer and agribusinessman, against Democrat Jesse Farias, Wapato mayor and a longtime state government manager, in a spirited race for the District 2 spot on the Yakima County Board of Commissioners.

While there's much to like about both, we recommend Bouchey. He would replace Republican Ron Gamache, who finished third in the Aug. 17 primary election.

Farias is a solid contender in his own right. A disabled veteran, he has served as a director of the state departments of Veterans Affairs and Employment Security, and a member of the state Liquor Control Board. Now retired from state service, he's taken over the reins of Wapato city government.

While Farias would certainly be a solid addition to the commission, we feel Bouchey has a better grasp of local issues, particularly in the economic sector.

An important consideration in this race is that Bouchey, if elected, would be the only one of three county commissioners with livelihood experience in agriculture, the county's economic lifeline. He has owned and operated SKD Farms Inc. in Toppenish for 27 years. While we have some concerns about the homogenous nature of the commission if he wins, Bouchey's portfolio would be an overriding, valuable addition to the mix.

Current commissioners Mike Leita and Rand Elliott, both Republicans, have business backgrounds. Leita is unopposed for re-election to a second four-year term, and Elliott is halfway through his first term.

In a closing statement during his interview with the editorial board, Bouchey said that county leaders must take a thorough look at all aspects of Confined Animal Feeding Operations that are now in the eye of a swirling local controversy. (See "Hidden Wells, Dirty Water," a series of articles in this newspaper and available at www.yakimaherald.com).

On other issues, Bouchey likes the idea of more economic development and less regulatory climate at the county level. So do we, while recognizing that realistic regulation and oversight are necessary for an orderly process. He sees the need for more comprehensive, and effective, dog control in the county and favors a countywide approach to combating gangs. We agree on both counts.

Both candidates think the credibility of the commission took a hit in recent years with the ill-fated county jail project that resulted in a new facility being built late and over budget. But with the election of either Bouchey or Farias, the three-member commission will have an entirely new look from the one that was responsible for that fiasco. Gamache was the last commissioner directly associated with the project, and it no doubt played a role in his forced exit from public office.

Now it's time to get that whole episode behind us and to move on.

As of January, the county commissioner's job will pay an annual salary of $79,248. We'll recommend Bouchey for the post and figure he and the other two commissioners will more than earn that stipend with all the challenges facing county government these days.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.

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