Familiar name may help Sunnyside develop former feedlot

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. — This city may turn to a familiar face to finally put the former Monson feedlot to good use.

At a workshop Monday, Sunnyside City Council members said they liked a proposal to hire Dave Fonfara, a one-time city manager, to recruit business to the former feedlot west of town.

"I think we’re ready," said Councilman Jason Raines. "I think we should be thinking about moving forward."

Sunnyside officials first agreed to purchase the 150-acre feedlot for $2.5 million from Monson Ranches in 2004 to spruce up the city’s western entrance and eliminate a source of manure that gave the town the unfortunate nickname of "Smellyside." After the Monson family moved its 2,500 cows, the city took possession in 2007.

Officially renaming it the West Sunnyside Business Park, city officials had planned to sell the property quickly. The recession of 2008 doused those hopes.

"I was on council when we bought the property," said Councilman Jim Restucci. "We had every intention of selling the property right away until the economy tanked."

Starting in 2013, the city will pay roughly $500,000 in interest on bonds per year for the purchase of the property and extending water and sewer lines. The City Council officially annexed the land last week.

Under Fonfara’s proposal, the city would pay him $17,000, while the Sunnyside Economic Development Association — or SEDA — would contribute another $17,000 for six months to determine which industries would make the most sense for the property, and then recruit businesses to lease or buy.

Fonfara served as the executive director for SEDA, then called Sunnyside Inc., for 13 years before becoming the city manager. Funded by the city, the Port of Sunnyside and private business, the organization recruited Sunnyside businesses Darigold, Valley Manufacturing and Milky Way.

But the recession dampened SEDA’s activities. It has been all but defunct since then, said Jeff Barrom, president of the organization, which has about $17,000 left in the bank.

Fonfara served as the Sunnyside city manager for four years until leaving in 2004 to take a similar post with the city of Chelan. Last summer, the retiree and his wife moved to Yakima to be closer to family.

The council will formally vote on the contract Feb. 27.

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