Sunnyside turning to Grandview administrator for help

SUNNYSIDE -- This embattled city is turning to one of its neighbors for help.

The city of Sunnyside has asked Grandview City Administrator Scott Staples for advice as it struggles to get back on its feet after the departure of three top administrators.

Last week, the Sunnyside City Council fired City Manager Eric Swansen and replaced him on an interim basic with Public Works Director Jim Bridges. Mark Kunkler, the city attorney and assistant city manager, and Jordan Arreola, the finance director, resigned in protest.

At a special meeting Saturday, Staples, Bridges and the City Council agreed to use an existing partnership agreement between Sunnyside, Grandview and Prosser to share services.

The “master agreement” was drafted in March to allow the cities a legal framework with which to pool resources for equipment and city services. For example, all three cities have teamed up to contract a full-time animal control officer, while Grandview plans to borrow street striping equipment from Sunnyside later this summer.

Staples will consult Bridges on matters of city administration when asked. In return, Sunnyside will pay Grandview — not Staples himself — an hourly rate of $56, roughly equivalent to Staples’ salary and benefits in Grandview.

Sunnyside also is looking to contract short-term legal counsel and a professional consulting firm to help manage the government and begin the process of recruiting new administrators, Bridges said.

-- Ross Courtney