Sunnyside candidates promise to end tubulent times

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. -- Candidates gunning for control in a community wracked by turnover at City Hall.

Former council members returning to the fray on a platform of change.

Accusations of mismanagement and backpedaling.

Choose your favorite subplot. This city has plenty of politics to chew on as it gears up for the Nov. 3 election.

All the candidates promise to bring stability to Sunnyside.

In June, council members fired City Manager Eric Swansen after only 11 months on the job and temporarily replaced him with Public Works Director Jim Bridges. City Attorney Mark Kunkler, Finance Director Jordan Arreola and Councilman Bill Gant then promptly resigned.

This marks the first city election in which candidates were chosen in the August primary by district, representing geographic areas of the city. In the Nov. 3 election, all Sunnyside voters will cast ballots on all four spots, regardless of where they live.

The change was prompted by a U.S. Justice Department opinion that Sunnyside's previous at-large system marginalized Latinos, who comprise nearly three-quarters of the city's population.

Many challengers are taking incumbents to task -- accusing them of overspending, cutting police officers in favor of raises for senior staff and backpedaling on stormwater assessments, not to mention the decision to fire Swansen. All three incumbents voted to get rid of him.

But it's the council's decision earlier this year to create a stormwater utility that's got people up in arms. Council members initially approved it as a way to generate revenue but refunded the money after residents complained the fees were unfairly assessed and too expensive.

There's also growing unrest over long-term plans at the Sunnyside airport. One property owner is suing for the right to subdivide and build homes, and other property owners near the runway are worried the city's plans for airport expansion will drive down their property values.

Meanwhile, interim Finance Director Bob Noland recently announced that Sunnyside has $1.8 million more in its general fund budget than anticipated. A year ago, council members eliminated nine positions, including two police officers, to help balance a budget they thought was in the red.

Former councilmen Don Vlieger and Mike Farmer are using Noland's report to try to win votes. They blame incumbents for not having a better handle on finances. But incumbents are blaming former staff members for the miscalculation, saying it's proof that they were right to fire Swansen.

Three of the four City Council positions on the ballot are contested, while Nick Paulakis, a 52-year-old auto shop teacher at Sunnyside High School, is running unopposed for Position 4. He was appointed to the council in July to replace Gant and has said he wants to bring an educator's perspective to the council.

District 1
Hancock-Raines

Councilwoman Theresa Hancock faces Jason Raines for the District 1 seat, which represents the northern section of Sunnyside.

Both cite police and public safety as their highest priority.

A former planning commission member and current business owner, Hancock voted in December against the 2009 budget that eliminated staff positions but gave raises to several high-ranking city administrators.

She was one of the most vocal advocates for repealing the stormwater assessments but admits she made a "mistake" passing it in the first place.

She says criticisms about utility fees and rate increases over the past four years are unfair. The city needed a new waste-water treatment plant during that time and previous councils did not raise rates enough to pay for it or keep up with other increased expenses, she said.

"We're on the way to really making a change in the way the city operates," she said.

Raines, a retired Army captain, is campaigning on the message that his military background will be helpful to a city that lacks leadership.

He promises to scrutinize the budget line by line and ask for monthly financial reports. He also criticizes Swansen's firing. Hancock voted to hire Swansen in early 2008 but voted to remove him after the council gave him a poor performance review, saying he didn't communicate well with the council.

"Most people would agree that he was not treated with dignity and respect," Raines said.

He also takes issue with the city's legal bills in the aftermath of Kunkler's resignation. For the last four months, the city has spent $134,000 on a contract with a Yakima law firm to handle the city's legal services, more than Kunkler's former annual salary.

District 2
Farmer-Hernandez

Farmer is challenging incumbent Jesse Hernandez Jr. for the District 2 seat, which spans the western portion of Sunnyside.

Both candidates tout themselves as agents of change, leveling criticism at controversial decisions by current council members. Each says the city has spent too much money in recent years and that the City Council was wrong to give the raises to senior managers shortly after cutting employees.

Hernandez is a relative newcomer. He was appointed to the council in March, replacing Bruce Epps, who resigned because of time constraints.

He's asking voters to "be aware of the things I haven't done," he said.

Though he was one of the four members who voted to fire Swansen, Hernandez makes note of the fact that the decision to hire Swansen, pass stormwater fees and raise salaries were made before he took office.

Hernandez lists economic development as his main goal and cites his experience as a financial adviser.

Farmer, who owns an auto repair shop, said his background running a business will make him a prudent spender of taxpayer money. In 1997, voters elected him, along with three other challengers critical of then City Manager Leo Fancey. Fancey resigned hours after the four were sworn in.

Farmer said his first priority would be to restore the police department to its previous staffing level.

"I'm certainly for economic development in Sunnyside but nobody is going to come develop until ... our streets are safe and our city is clean," he said.

District 3
Stone-Vlieger

In the District 3 race, where candidates live in the eastern portion of the city, Councilwoman Carol Stone also finds herself defending past decisions.

She argues that previous city councils, which included her opponent Vlieger, did not make the tough choices to raise fees and taxes to pay for city services and, as a result, put the city behind as prices escalated.

"It's all nice and fuzzy to say we're not going to raise your taxes, we're not going to raise your fees," said Stone, a homemaker.

Like Hancock, she argued publicly against the managerial raises in light of the budget cuts that caused people to lose their jobs. She also voted against the 2009 budget.

In her bid for a second term, Stone acknowledges that she made a mistake in supporting the stormwater plan but points out that she lobbied fellow council members to repeal it after the push back from residents.

As president of the Lions Club and other community organizations, Stone is promoting her civic involvement.

Vlieger parses no words in criticizing the current council.

"Somebody's got to fix this mess," said the retired Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy.

Rates and fees have jumped while Stone has been in office and she supported some of those increases.

He also takes exception to Swansen's firing, especially how council members did it. They suspended and terminated the city manager with incorrectly drafted resolutions and had to vote on them again two months later, starting the clock over on his severance pay.

"One performance evaluation and they fire him that night," Vlieger said.

Vlieger said replacing police officers will be his highest priority, then purchasing two drug dogs. He also believes more prudent spending would allow the city to afford them.

District 1

Jason Raines

Age: 34

Occupation: Substitute school teacher and crew member at the Sunnyside McDonald's restaurant.

Previously held elected office: None

Education: Bachelor's degree in information systems management, Auburn University in Alabama.

Theresa Hancock

Age: 51

Occupation: Owner of the Funny Farm liquor store and gift shop, Sunnyside.

Previously elected office: Sunnyside City Council, 2005 to present.

Education: Graduate of Sunnyside High School.

District 2

Jesse Hernandez Jr.

Age: 49

Occupation: Financial adviser with Waddell and Reed in Yakima.

Previously held elected office: City Councilman, March 2009 to present.

Education: Attended Heritage University.

Mike Farmer

Age: 61

Occupation: Owner of Bob's Auto Clinic, Sunnyside.

Previously held elected office: Sunnyside City Council, 1998-2005.

Education: Attended Yakima Valley Community College.

District 3

Carol Stone

Age: 61

Occupation: Homemaker

Previously elected office: Sunnyside City Council, 2005 to present.

Education: Graduate of Sunnyside High School.

Don Vlieger

Age: 50

Occupation: Owner of the Sunnyside Inn.

Previous office: Sunnyside City Council, 1999-2005.

Education: Associate degree in general education, Long Beach City College in California.

* Ross Courtney can be reached at 509-930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.