Vlieger joins race for Sunnyside City Council

By Pat Muir
Yakima Herald-Republic

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YAKIMA, Wash. -- A familiar face joined the race for the Sunnyside City Council on Thursday and a Democrat filed to challenge a Republican state House incumbent, highlighting the second-to-last day of this year’s election filing period.

Former Sunnyside Councilman Don Vlieger, a Sunnyside bed and breakfast owner who was a finalist this spring for appointment to a vacant 15th District state House seat, filed Thursday to run against Councilwoman Carol Stone.

Stone was part of the four-person council majority that fired City Manager Eric Swansen on Tuesday, a move Vlieger said was short-sighted.

“He hadn’t had a chance yet,” Vlieger, 50, said of Swansen, who served only 11 months before his firing.

Swansen’s dismissal led to the resignations of two other top Sunnyside officials, City Attorney and Assistant City Manager Mark Kunkler and Finance Director Jordan Arreola. It was the second time the council had pushed out a manager in recent years, having forced the resignation of Bob Stockwell in September 2007.

“It’s a mess right now,” said Vlieger, who served on the council from 1998 to 2005. “The current council is going to have a hell of a time finding a city manager.”

Stone, 61, said Thursday afternoon that Vlieger’s candidacy came as no surprise. She argued that she remains the better candidate because of her dedication. In mid-June, she plans to complete work toward a Certificate of Municipal Leadership, given by the Association of Washington Cities to elected city officials who complete several training sessions.

She disagreed with Vlieger’s view on the Swansen firing and pledged to carry on.

“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Stone said. “I filed. I plan on running, because I don’t quit. I work for the people.”

In the Yakima Valley’s lone legislative race for the 15th District House seat, mid-session appointee Rep. David Taylor, R-Moxee, got some competition Thursday when Internet entrepreneur John Gotts of White Salmon filed to run as a Democrat. Taylor was appointed when Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, was named director of the state Department of Agriculture.

In Union Gap, former Mayor Aubrey Reeves filed to run against incumbent Councilman Roger Wentz. Reeves was Union Gap mayor for 10 years before losing by two votes in the 2007 primary. He also ran for the state House in 2008 but got less than 6 percent of the vote after finishing sixth out of six candidates in the primary.

The filing period ends today. There are 112 positions up for election in Yakima County this year, mostly on city councils and school boards.

Candidates filing for office Thursday were:
15th District state House: Position 2, John Gotts, D-White Salmon
Yakima City Council: Position 7, Bill Lover (i)
Granger City Council: Position 2, Donna Shipman (i)
Harrah Town Council: Position 2, Santos Castilleja (i)
Mabton City Council: Mayor, Daniel S. Jun; Position 1, Oping Hutson (i); Position 2, Sophia Sotelo
Moxee City Council: Position 1, Dave Hunter; Position 2, LeRoy Lenseigne (i)
Naches Town Council: Position 2, Rick Carney (i)*
Sunnyside City Council: Position 3, Don Vlieger
Tieton City Council: Position 2, Juan Santos
Union Gap City Council: Position 1, Chad Lenz; Position 7, Aubrey Reeves
East Valley School Board: Position 2, Robert Price (i)
Mabton School Board: Position 1, Jeanette Williams (i)
Naches School Board: Position 3, Stacy Young (i)
Sunnyside School Board: Position 2, Robert Lemos
Toppenish School Board: Position 5, Maryrose Gonzalez (i)
Highland School Board: Position 2, Dee Dee Trepanier (i)
Zillah School Board: Position 3, Sandra Adams (i)
Wapato School Board: Position 1, Javier Vela
West Valley School Board: Position 3, Steve Smith
Mount Adams School Board: Position 4, Kip Ramsey, Jr. (i)
Fire District 1 Board: Position 3, Craig Chronister
Fire District 5 Board: Position 3, Todd Lunning (i)
Fire District 6 Board: Position 3, George Allan**
Naches Park and Recreation District Board: Position 2, Kathryn Thompson (i)

* indicates the candidate is an incumbent.

** indicates the candidate filed via fax, the acceptance of which is contingent upon receipt of the original papers within seven days.

• Pat Muir can be reached at (509) 577-7693, or at pmuir@yakimaherald.com.



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