"Newest City Council member ready to get rolling; Wright says her community involvement over the years will come in handy"

I like Pat's attitude. I think she'll fit right in on the council.

From yesterday's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Pat Wright moved to Pullman site unseen.

She moved to town from California in 1975 when her husband, Ray, accepted a job at the Washington State University Department of Animal Sciences. The couple arrived on the Palouse in the sleepy days of late summer - just after harvest and shortly before the university opened for fall classes.

"I just wasn't prepared," said Wright, 60. "We'd go in a restaurant and we were the only ones there."

Wright said Pullman was supposed to be a temporary home for the couple, but community involvement and the birth of their two children kept them in town.

"It was only going to be a few years ... but here we still are," she said. "We just made the conscious decision to stay."

Her time and commitment to Pullman paid off Tuesday, when Wright was appointed to the Pullman City Council Ward 3 position. Her list of community service and business accomplishments was impressive to the council, which chose her to join the bench from a list of candidates that included Terence Day and Dave Gibney.

The Ward 3 seat came open when it was determined that Devon Felsted, elected to the seat in November, would have to step down due to a conflict of interest. David Stiller, who was voted into the position in 2003, did not seek re-election.

Since her arrival in Pullman, Wright has worked at General Telephone and Electronics handling student accounts and most recently was the manager of The Bookie - a position she retired from last year. She now works as a campus relations consultant for Barnes and Noble, which allows her more time for community involvement on the Pullman Chamber of Commerce and Pullman Education Foundation boards. She also is active in the Pullman Civil Service Commission and the Pullman Regional Hospital Auxiliary.

Wright joked that her long résumé is a testament to her inability to say no, but added her roles in local business and service groups have prepared her for the council position.

"Little bits and pieces of the jobs I've done have given me a look at the big picture," she said.

Wright said she applied for the City Council position with an open mind and no agenda, but is a proponent for planned growth and a continued partnership with WSU.

She said the city is playing catch-up for missed business opportunities in the 1970s and 1980s that "ended up going to Moscow."

"Since then, we've tried to equalize that with projects like Bishop Boulevard," she said. "Any time we have a chance to keep that revenue here, I think we should capitalize on that."

Wright said planned growth includes ensuring available amenities to create a livable community.

"We need to make it a community that's livable for everyone," she said. "Livability is shopping. Livability is good schools. Livability is good health care.

"We need to continue to make it a destination rather than a place people come to four for years and then leave."

WSU also benefits from increased livability, Wright said, "because the more amenities, the easier it is to recruit students here."

Wright said a strong partnership between the city and university is essential to the health of the community.

"Can you say Pullman and not think of WSU?" she asked. "As much as we don't like to say it, Pullman is WSU and WSU is Pullman. We have to make sure Pullman and WSU are working together for what they both need."

For now, Wright said she's going to ease into her new position. After all, it will take some time to read up on city policy and current hot topics.

"I want to take my time to learn what the issues are," she said. "Probably the scariest part is going to be the accelerated learning curve to get into it."

In her down time, Wright said she enjoys traveling with Ray, to whom she's been married for 37 years. In previous years, they have visited New York City and Bermuda, among other places, and they are scheduled for an adventure in Tahiti in May.

She's also a fan of football and her two springer spaniels.

"Partch will seek third term as commissioner"

As I stated earlier, Commissioner Partch has my fullest endorsement for a third term. From yesterday's Whitman County Gazette:

County Commissioner Greg Partch Monday announced his plans to seek a third term in office. The 59-year old Garfield Republican has served as the District 1 representative, which covers the northeast portion of Whitman County, since 2000.

Partch kicked off his campaign on the heels of a decision to commit to bonding up to $9.1 million to fund infrastructure improvements at Boise-based Hawkins shopping center on the Idaho state line.

“I can’t think of a more fitting send off for my campaign than today’s signing,” he said.

He said the Hawkins development was indicative of his efforts to fulfill his 2000 campaign platform of strengthening the county’s economy.

“Watch Whitman County grow,” he said. “With what we’ve done for economic development, those fruits will be bearing four years from now.”

After entering office, Partch was faced with a declining county treasury after voter-approved state initiatives limited the taxing authority of local governments.

He pointed to Commissioner Jerry Finch, who was also elected to office in 2000.

“We weathered those storms together, and we’ll weather future storms as well,” he said. “We’ve been through a lot together,” he added. “But the county is in as good of hands now as it’s ever been.”

Finch announced earlier that he intends to seek a third term.

“We want to see the corridor develop. We want to see it develop, organized and systematic, and we want to protect the environment at the same time,” he said.

Partch also said he was proud to have helped coordinate an interlocal agreement to fund the Whitcom emergency dispatch center.

He said when he was first elected the cooperation of local entities in setting up the center was falling apart. Washington State University was contemplating a withdrawal from the Whitcom board. Those entities eventually pulled together to form the board.

“Now we’ve got a state of the art E-911 system at Whitcom,” he said. “It’s as good as anywhere in the US.”

Partch said the decision to run for a third term came after a great deal of consulting with his family.

“This was not an easy decision,” Partch said Monday. “But the salary commission made a big difference.”

Last year, the county’s citizen commission on salaries for elected officials decided to bring those salaries in line with the pay received by elected officials in comparable counties.

Prior to that, the commission set salaries at 85 percent of the average of its comparison counties. Bringing salaries to 100 percent of the average meant a $774 raise in the monthly salaries of county commissioners.

Partch explained low pay rates often discourage the best and brightest from entering the public sector. Pay for politicians is not always compensatory with their time commitment, he said.

“Sometimes its hard to get good people in government,” said Partch.

If elected to a third term, Partch said he hopes to mend fences with neighboring Moscow, with whom relations have been tense since the city tried to block the Hawkins development.

Also in his sights is finalizing a tax-share plan with Pullman that would allow the city to grow without draining the county’s tax rolls.

Partch currently sits on several multi-jurisdictional committees, including the Aging and Long Term Care Council of Eastern Washington, the Whitcom board, the Eastern Washington Work Force Development Council, the state Transportation Improvement Board, the Joint Planning and Action Committee and the state Public Defense Advisory Committee.

Prior to his first election, Partch worked for 26 years at Arrow Machinery north of Colfax. He and wife Sherry have two children. Greg Jr. lives in Spokane, and daughter Dawn lives in Tennessee.

The couple has also raised several foster children.

"Hawkins's development closed-door dealings under scrutiny; Moscow council members maintain their decision was in city's best interest"

Ah, right out of the ol' liberal playbook. You lose an election, you bitch about the people that won for the next few years and constantly demand they be removed from office.

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Moscow's newest City Council members have spent the last several days defending their decision to sell water to a development firm that wants to build just across the state line in Whitman County.

Some residents are so unhappy they're considering a recall.

Dan Carscallen, Wayne Krauss and Walter Steed voted Monday along with Bill Lambert and John Weber to approve a settlement that offers Boise-based Hawkins Companies 45 acre-feet of potable water and 20 acre-feet of irrigation water on an annual basis for use at its proposed 700,000-square-foot retail development just west of Moscow. The Idaho Department of Water Resources must approve the offer before it is official.

The settlement was drafted after two days of mediation last week in Spokane.

Hawkins has about three months to decide whether to purchase wastewater treatment services from Moscow. The settlement also means the city will drop its appeal of water-rights transfers granted to Hawkins, which in turn will relinquish 45 acre-feet of water rights when it has access to Moscow water.

Confidentiality

Moscow resident Bill French, a member of the Palouse Water Conservation Network, said he and others have considered calling for a recall of the council members who voted for the settlement.

A recall is worth considering because "five of our six council members, at least in my opinion, betrayed the public trust by conducting this closed-door negotiation and settlement," he said.

Moscow's representatives at the mediation - Steed, Krauss, Mayor Nancy Chaney and Public Works Director Les MacDonald - agreed to keep the proceedings confidential, as demanded by the mediator. The council had to vote on the settlement without disclosing its content to the public.

Krauss said the confidentiality was necessary because the information discussed in mediation couldn't have been used in later litigation if no settlement was reached.

French said Moscow's representatives should have walked out rather than sign the confidentiality agreement.

"I think it was very imprudent for the council to enter negotiations and make a decision before the public had any opportunity to weigh in on what they were thinking," he said.

Dennis Baird, owner of the Wine Company of Moscow, agrees.

"They could have said, 'I'm sorry, we're not going to do that,' " Baird said. "If the mediator didn't like that, then they could have gotten another mediator."

French said Moscow should have continued with its water rights appeal.

"I'm not of the opinion that (the appeal) was destined to fail," he said. "At the very least it might have delayed Hawkins long enough to change the whole situation."

Krauss and Steed said they decided it was best to go ahead with the mediation.

"I went up there to reach a settlement to conclude the Hawkins situation," Steed said.

Krauss said city representatives had two other options: They could have proceeded with costly litigation on the appeal, or dropped the appeal altogether, but "that would have allowed a private entity to pump from the same aquifer we do without any public entity to monitor them on a regular basis."

Chaney said she was not surprised that the mediation session was kept confidential. To disclose things in a legal dispute would be counterproductive to Moscow's interests.

However, Chaney said the council could have proceeded differently after mediation concluded.

She said the council could have declined the settlement and opened discussion to the public. They could have discussed the elements in the settlement without disclosing the agreement itself, and returned to mediation later if the other entities were open to it.

Control issues

Carscallen, Krauss and Steed said Whitman County was going to help Hawkins move forward one way or another. Moscow had the opportunity to get as much as it could out of the deal.

"We didn't do this to sell out Moscow or to harm or to help Hawkins," Steed said. "We saw an inevitable development that we felt that we could to some degree control, to some degree reduce the amount of water (it used) that we all draw from and to make some money for the city."

The councilmen said the settlement ultimately reduces the net effect on the Grand Ronde aquifer, compared to the water Hawkins would pull if all its water rights were approved and Moscow was not involved.

Chaney said the settlement means "the Hawkins group will end up with more water than was otherwise authorized."

Hawkins had only secured rights to 45 acre-feet, but the settlement guarantees 65 acre-feet.

Chaney said she also dislikes the portion of the settlement in which Moscow agrees not to protest, directly or indirectly, "any permits or governmental approvals" sought by Hawkins for the project. The city can protest "based on public safety or nuisance."

The project was "too ill-defined" for such an agreement, Chaney said.

She also is concerned that the city does not control utility-related issues at Hawkins it would control within city limits. For example, Moscow can't regulate how much grease a restaurant in the development can release into the wastewater system.

Economic issues

Steed said people who shop at the Hawkins development may continue across the border and spend money in Moscow. Shoppers who don't find what they want at Hawkins could come to a similar store in Moscow.

"It's Marketing 101 - you put in a Burger King across the street from a McDonald's," Steed said.

Baird said Hawkins is more likely to hurt Moscow businesses. Because Hawkins will benefit from city infrastructure, which businesses help pay for, the council is forcing business owners to "pay for their own death."

Rate issues

French said he is concerned the agreement doesn't specify what Hawkins will have to pay for water or wastewater treatment.

"We should be making sure we're getting as high a rate as we can from them for providing that service," he said.

Carscallen said city representatives did not set a specific rate because they do not know what Moscow's water rates will be when the development is built.

The settlement states that Moscow "shall be fair and reasonable and consistent with rates and charges set for similarly situated customers of the city."

Steed said this does not mean that Hawkins will pay the same as a business within Moscow city limits.

Krauss said there are no "similarly situated" businesses, so the city will have to create a new rate for businesses across the state line.

The current rate for businesses outside the city limits is twice that of businesses in town, Krauss said. The rate for Hawkins could be as much as three times the in-town rate.

"We will work out a fair rate for them based on who and what they are," Krauss said.

The councilmen said the city also could save money if Hawkins decides to help pay for upgrades to Moscow's wastewater treatment plant in order to speed the availability of treated wastewater for irrigation.

What's next?

French said people who are unhappy with the settlement should speak out when the Idaho Department of Water Resources evaluates the sale.

"We need to see if there is any way to prevent this agreement from being followed through," he said.

Chaney said the settlement could bring positives.

It could encourage the Washington State Department of Ecology and Idaho Department of Water Resources to manage the Palouse Basin as a common watershed, she said. Any well drilled by Hawkins prior to hooking into Moscow's water could later be used as a test well for the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee to assess aquifer levels.

"I think we are all coming at this from the perspective of wanting to do what we think will be beneficial to water in the Palouse Basin," she said. "We may not agree on what that is but ... we will make the best out of whatever the outcome is."

"Wright tabbed to fill vacant Ward 3 seat; New City Council member selected, sworn in during Tuesday night's meeting"

I don't know Pat personally, but former Pullman City Councilman Al Sorensen gave Pat a strong recommendation, which is good enough for me.

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Pat Wright's resume apparently was too good to pass up.

Wright, 60, was appointed to the Pullman City Council as the representative for the vacant Ward 3 position Tuesday following a unanimous vote by council members.

Councilman Barney Waldrop said Wright's record of public service in Pullman and her commitment to the community made her an obvious choice.

"She's touched a lot of bases in the community that are important," he said.

Wright was chosen from a pool of candidates that also included Dave Gibney and Terence Day. The Ward 3 seat came open when it was determined that Devon Felsted, elected to the seat in November, would have to step down due to a conflict of interest. David Stiller, who was voted into the position in 2003, did not seek re-election.

All candidates applied for the vacant seat by submitting a resume and answers to questions regarding their community involvement and background.

The three candidates were interviewed separately by the council Tuesday following a three-minute opening statement. Each council member asked the candidates a prepared question, some of which included their vision of Pullman in the future and what issues they believe to be hot topics in Pullman.

Each applicant was then given one minute to make a closing statement.

Wright briefly described the important relationship between Pullman and Washington State University, her desire to make public safety a top priority and her support for city growth.

"I feel I can be a good liaison for the different constituents we serve," she said, adding that she plans to listen to the concerns and desires of the public "so we're going in the direction our residents want us to go."

The council made its decision following a 15-minute executive session to discuss the candidates. Wright was then given the oath of office and asked to join the council on the bench for the closing of the meeting.

Councilman Bill Paul said the group had to "do some soul searching" when choosing one person from the three qualified candidates. In the end, he said Wright was the most qualified for the job.

"She's done such a wide range of work in the community," he said. "We look forward to working with her."

Wright has been a Pullman resident since 1975 and works as a campus relations consultant for Barnes and Noble. She recently retired as general manager of The Bookie at WSU.

Wright sits on the boards of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce and Pullman Education Foundation. She also is active in the Pullman Civil Service Commission and the Pullman Regional Hospital Auxiliary.

Wright said she was nervous with the rapid-fire questions by the council during the interview, but feels a sense of relief and is excited for the challenge of her new position.

"I'm excited. I'm just delighted to work with this group," she said. "I just feel like I can make a contribution."

Greg Partch Will Seek Another Term as Commissioner

Greg Partch, seen here signing the Hawkins development agreement today

Republican Whitman County Commissioner Greg Partch announced at noon today in the Whitman County Commissioners Chambers that he will seek a third term as District 1 Commissioner. He said it wasn't an easy decision. The salary commission decision to raise county commissioner's salaries played a big role in his decision. Partch said people didn't realize what a time-consuming job being a commissioner was.

Economic development is Partch's main platform, along with "peace in the courthouse." He said it took a year and a half after taking office the first time, but there is now more of a team effort between the commissioners and other county elected officials.

The Pullman-Moscow corridor is a natural place for economic development, so he and Commissioner Finch planned accordingly. They rezoned it several years back to be business-friendly. The county has bent over backwards to partner with Hawkins, but would have done so with any business.

In four years, Partch expects to see the fruits of this economic investment. He thinks the county is in the best hands it has ever been in before. There are things we work together with Moscow on currently and he hopes we can work together better in the future.

Greg has certainly earned another four years on the county commission and he has my fullest endorsement.

"Gibney, Wright apply for City Council seat"

In the fine Stalinist "progressive" tradition of upholding the First Amendment we have seen demostrated previously by David Leonard and Alex McDonald, Dave Gibney's friend, uber-nutroots Noemie Maxwell, had Blogger remove the picture of Dave at the Northwest Progressive Conference I had posted. Democrats like Peter Goldmark will never get elected in Eastern Washington as long as they are supported by snooty, intolerant, condescending, anti-Christian West Side moonbats like Maxwell. She wouldn't know anything about a "farmer's protest" if it jumped up and bit her in the ass.

You can still view it here. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Why are liberals so camera shy?

Here's some info that wasn't included in the article below.

Dave Gibney is a former state committeeman and current Precinct Committee Officer for the Whitman County Democrats. He is also a prolific commenter on various liberal Washington blogs, such as Washblog, where he left the following comment:

I know the Young Democrats of WSU were also part if this effort, but since they are particularly politically savvy, they kept their participation in the background. The young R's here are sorta distruptive.

From Friday's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Dave Gibney and Patricia A. Wright recently submitted their applications for the vacant Pullman City Council Ward 3 position.

Gibney is a systems programmer at Washington State University. He first came to Pullman as a WSU student and has remained here since 1981. He serves as treasurer of the Friends of Gladish Board of Directors.

Wright has been a Pullman resident since 1975 and recently retired as general manager of The Bookie at WSU. She sits on the boards of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce and Pullman Education Foundation. She also is active in the Pullman Civil Service Commission and the Pullman Regional Hospital Auxiliary.

The council will interview candidates and choose a new member at its Feb. 5 meeting. The selected individual will take the oath of office the same evening.

The Ward 3 seat came open when it was determined that recently elected Devon Felsted would have to step down due to a conflict of interest. David Stiller, who was voted into the position in 2003, did not seek re-election.

Terence L. Day of Pullman also has applied for the Ward 3 seat.

The Ward 3 application period will close at 5 p.m. Thursday. Applicants must be registered voters over the age of 18, a Pullman resident for one year prior to appointment and reside in Ward 3, which encompasses Pioneer Hill and portions of College Hill. Interested individuals should submit a letter of application and answer a set of standard questions. Copies of those questions are available in the mayor's office in Pullman City Hall.

"Commissioner Finch will seek third term"

This is great news! As most of my regular readers know, I'm a big Jerry Finch fan. He gets my most enthusiastic endorsement for county commssioner. From today's Whitman County Gazette:

Whitman County Commissioner Jerry Finch of Pullman announced Monday his intention to seek a third term for the District 2 seat on the Board of County Commissioners. Finch has represented the southeast section of Whitman County since 2000.

Finch, 65, said he made the decision to seek re-election after receiving a clean bill of health from his doctor during an annual physical.

“He said I’m in better shape today than I was a year ago,” said Finch. County Commissioner Jerry Finch

Finch touted the economic turn-around of the past two years as one of his proudest accomplishments while in office.

“Where we are now and where we were when Greg (Commissioner Partch) and I came into office is like night and day,” Finch told the Gazette Monday.

When Finch entered office, the county’s budget deficit cut cash reserves deep, sometimes to the point the county could barely meet its payroll. That prompted commissioners to put freezes on hiring and eliminate some positions.

Strengthening the economy so those cuts do not have to be made again is atop his list of priorities for another term, Finch said. He said that is why he has made such efforts to ensure the development of Hawkins’ Companies proposed shopping center at the state line in the Pullman-Moscow Corridor.

That development will strengthen the tax base, he added, and would ensure the county’s budget stays in the black.

“There’s a lot more work to do in the corridor, and I think the responsible thing is to see this through,” he said.

Finch has long championed the shopping center as the spark of an economic firestorm in the county.

He pointed to the county’s rezoning of the corridor as a seminal event in improving the county’s economic development.

The lean-time decisions to limit the size of county government have proven fruitful now, he said, pointing to a cash reserve of more than $3 million.

“Because of those tough decisions we’ve gotten our stuff together,” he said.

At the time, however, those decisions were criticized by county staff, and made the commissioners unpopular in the courthouse.

“The longer you’re a commissioner, the more decisions you make,” he added. “And the more decisions you make the greater the chance you’re going to do something to make someone mad.”

“If you’re not comfortable making tough decisions and angering somebody, you shouldn’t run for this job,” Finch added.

While in office, Finch has seen criticism over several policy decisions and off-the-cuff remarks he has made.

One for which he received the most criticism was the 2005 decision to drop commissioners’ mileage reimbursements in favor of county-owned vehicles. After a great deal of public outcry over that decision, commissioners dropped that plan.

“I was disappointed over the car deal,” he admitted. “But the people made it crystal clear how they felt and we backed off.”

In addition to his policy decisions, Finch has been a controversial figure with his plain-spoken nature.

“What you see is what you get,” he said. “I may be painfully blunt at times, but I’m always honest.”

He attributed much of the controversies to a misinterpretation of his attempts to bring humor, often in sarcastic form, to the daily proceedings of the county commission.

“A lot of times levity can diffuse a tense situation,” he said. “Unfortunately that doesn’t always come through in print.”

Finch lives in Pullman with his wife of 40 years, Donna Lee. The couple raised two daughters and a nephew, and has five grandchildren.

For 35 years he was a partner in his family’s grocery store in Pullman. After closing the store, he became manager of Harrison Distributors in Pullman for four years before the company was sold to Odom Corporate of Seattle.

Joe Schmick 3-Fer

My good friend and our newest 9th District State Representative, Joe Schmick, has attacted a lot of media attention as of late:

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Schmick appointed to House Appropriations Committee

Washington 9th District Rep. Joe Schmick wasted little time making headway in Olympia. The freshmen legislator recently was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee.

Schmick, 49, a Colfax-based farmer and small business owner who was appointed to replace David Buri in November, was chosen by caucus leaders to sit on the House budget-writing panel.

House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt said Schmick is a newcomer with energy who is ideal for the committee.

"Joe has the work ethic that's essential for Appropriations, which is one of the most demanding committee jobs in the Legislature. Our leadership team has a lot of confidence in him," DeBolt said.

Schmick also will serve on the Higher Education and Local Government committees, both of which deal with policy and issues important to his district, he said.

"I look forward to the opportunities my committee assignments provide to focus on critical areas of public policy," Schmick said.

Schmick also was chosen to be part of the two-member delegation that carried a message to the governor during Monday's session-opening ceremonies informing her that the House was organized and prepared to do business.

From yesterday's Lewiston Tribune:

New lawmaker takes it all in
Rep. Joe Schmick stays on the run as Washington Legislature opens

OLYMPIA - On his first day at the new legislative session, Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, shuffled around brightly covered catalogues on his desk before his meetings began.

He picked up a 3-inch notebook of last year's budget notes and laughed as he waved it through the air.

"I don't think I'll ever get on top of my studies" he said.

Though it's his first time at a legislative session, Schmick proved himself a capable political actor during his time with the Whitman County Farm Bureau and in lobbying to be named to replace former Rep. David Buri in the House.

Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, attested to Schmick's capacity to represent his district during the session.

"People have a way to sense sincerity," Ericksen said, motioning to Schmick. "People will be able to tell that he's really ready to work for Washington."

Still, Schmick did seem nervous as he rushed past school groups in the Legislative Building to meet Gov. Christine Gregoire for the first time. During his minute with the governor, Schmick beamed and blushed as he shook Gregoire's hand.

In the House chambers, Schmick reported about his meeting with the governor to other representatives on the House floor. "It was pretty short and sweet, but it was an honor for me," he said. "The governor did say (she wanted to work) on time and to be on budget."

For his first day, Schmick spent time in the Higher Education Committee, listening to testimony about the state's master plan for higher education, and in the House Appropriations Committee to discuss the governor's 2008 supplemental budget proposal and hear testimony on the governor's early learning and K-12 budget proposals - stopping once to grab a few peanut butter crackers, which passed for lunch.

Schmick's days will get busier as he looks forward to meetings with the Local Government Committee later in the session.

While he has no specific bills he wants to champion this session, Schmick said he is passionate about representing his district. Schmick is also dedicated to his party's goals of minimizing state spending, as he believes many Washingtonians don't want or aren't able to pay higher taxes to fund huge state projects.

"There's not a group in state government that couldn't make a pretty compelling case for the need for new money," Schmick said. "There's just not enough money for all of them."

By 5:30 p.m. Schmick was back in his office, ready to take a real lunch break and tend to some personal affairs.

Schmick has organized a deal to sell his vending business in Colfax. He hopes this will leave time for his wife, Kim, to visit him on the coast - weather permitting.

And finally, from the December 22, 2007 edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Mr. Schmick goes to Olympia

Joe Schmick's first days as a representative in the Washington Legislature have flown by with an unending slate of meetings and handshakes.

Schmick said he's still trying to get accustomed to his new role as a 9th District representative after nearly one month in office.

"I am just a fish out of water," he said. "I have a lot to learn. It's all new. That's why I have really been trying to get around the district and meet with as many people as possible."

Schmick was selected Nov. 26 by commissioners from Whitman, Garfield, Adams, Franklin, Asotin and Spokane counties to serve out the remaining year of David Buri's term in the Legislature. Buri resigned from the Legislature to become director of government relations at Eastern Washington University. Buri was elected in 2004 and had one year left in his second two-year term.

Schmick, 49, has been farming in the Colfax area for nearly 30 years and operates a vending machine business in addition to serving on the Washington Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He unsuccessfully ran in 2006 for the 9th District's seat held by Steve Hailey.

Schmick said when he is not trying to meet people others are trying to meet him, leading to a constant flow of visitors in and out of his Olympia office.

"I am surprised when I am in Olympia how many people come into the office," he said. "It's hard to get away. Once you get in people just start showing up. Everybody wants to visit with you. They just want to get to know me so they have a name to a face."

When Schmick isn't conversing with visitors, he spends much of his remaining time answering phone calls, responding to e-mails and reading pages and pages of information regarding upcoming bills.

"Because this is a short session there are an awful lot of bills being prefiled to get on the schedule," he said. "And being new, I don't know what I have to read and don't.

"I am doing the best I can."

Schmick didn't have to wait long before jumping into the legislative ring, getting a chance to vote on two separate bills during his first week in office.

Schmick voted in favor of restoring a 1 percent limit on property tax levy increases during a special one-day session in his first official legislative acts.

The ballot measure, which Washington voters approved in 2001, was overturned by the state Supreme Court. In a 5-4 decision, the court agreed with a 2006 Superior Court ruling that I-747's ballot language was misleading and unconstitutionally deceptive.

In his second vote, Schmick voted against a bill that would have allowed Washington residents making less than $57,000 per year to defer half of their property taxes. The bill passed 55-39.

Schmick said he voted against the bill because it gives the state the power to seize homes and other personal belongings if deferments aren't repaid.

"When the state becomes involved they have teeth," he said. "The state can come and get you."

The bill also gives another task to already overworked county governments.

"Basically we gave the county another job and not a penny to do it," he said.

Schmick also has been busy cosponsoring a couple of bills that involve rule changes for counties. He said the bills should pass easily, but that is not the way it always works in Olympia.

"If it were easy there would be all kinds of stuff passed through the Legislature, but it's not," he said.

Schmick also has been vying for committee assignments. He thinks there is a strong chance he will be on the Higher Education Committee and also has requested an appointment to the Health Care Committee, although being a freshman might limit his opportunities.

"I have requested a few, but I don't know," he said. "Being the low man on the totem poll makes it hard."

However, Schmick said high turnover in the Legislature could allow him to advance rapidly. There will be several new legislators joining Schmick in the upcoming session.

"There has been five different members come in so there it's going to be quite a bit of shifting," he said. "I am surprised with how much turnover there is in the Legislature."

Schmick said he has heavily relied on help and guidance from his aide, Pam Hahn, who has 20 years of experience in the Legislature.

"I am very glad to have an experienced aide to get me through," he said.

His fellow 9th District legislators, Rep. Steve Hailey and Sen. Mark Schoesler, also have been helpful.

"We work together a lot," he said. "It is such a large district we have to work together. They've been extremely helpful."

Schmick said he has many goals while in the Legislature, but the most important thing for him is to make sure laws aren't passed that would negatively effect the 9th District.

"I have two goals: I don't want to do anything that will hurt my constituents and I don't want to do anything that will hurt the county or its cities," he said. "The counties and cities have very distinct budget problems. We can't keep doing things that cause budgetary impacts - that's just wrong."

Schmick has no intentions of passing the torch when his one year in the Legislature is up.

"I do plan on defending the seat," he said. The commissioners "didn't want to put somebody in there for a year and walk away."

Schmick said he does not take the job of representing the 9th District lightly.

"It's an honor," he said. "Everyone says that, but it is. It is an honor to have the people of the 9th District choose me to represent them. I can't tell you how big of a deal that is, but it is."

Schmick said he thought his political ambitions would go unfulfilled when he lost in 2006. He is appreciative for a second chance.

"When I lost the last time, I though I was done," he said. "I thought I was done and I was OK with that. I ran a good campaign and I talked about what people thought was important and I stuck with it."

Schmick knows he has a giant task ahead of him, but he is up to the challenge.

"I am not kidding myself," he said. "I've got a lot of work - it's a big district."

"Day applies for vacant Ward 3 seat on City Council"

I caught wind of this possibility a few months ago. Terry would be an OUTSTANDING city council member. I'm very grateful he threw his hat into the ring.From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Terence L. Day has submitted his application to become a member of the Pullman City Council.

Day, a Pullman resident since 1972, filed his application for the vacant Ward 3 seat Friday.

He is a retired Washington State University faculty member who now works as a freelance writer and photographer.

The Ward 3 seat came open when it was determined that Devon Felsted would have to step down due to a conflict of interest.

The Ward 3 application period will close at 5 p.m. Jan. 31. Applicants must be registered voters over the age of 18, a Pullman resident for one year prior to appointment and reside in Ward 3, which encompasses Pioneer Hill and portions of College Hill. Interested individuals should submit a letter of application and answer a set of standard questions.

Copies of those questions are available in the mayor's office in Pullman City Hall.

"Weller still getting acclimated to new role; Newest Pullman City Council member trying to learn as he goes"

Lots of great local political stories in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News today. We'll start with Palousitics contributor, City Councilman Nathan Weller:

Nathan Weller counseled himself to stay quiet during his first Pullman City Council meeting.

Weller, who defeated Al Sorensen in the November election, said his intent was to be silent and observe at the Jan. 8 meeting.

"Of course, the first day it's a little tough to jump right in and swim with the big fish," he said. "It was about letting it sink in. I felt it was necessary to listen more than it was to talk."

Weller doesn't intend to stay quiet for long. He said he has opinions on subjects such as development along the Pullman-Moscow Highway, and the city's proposed business license and rental property registration programs.

"There's plenty of time," he said. "When the issues come up, of course I'm going to put in my feelings."

Former councilman David Stiller - who did not seek re-election in November - said newcomers to the council should not be reluctant to speak up about important issues and create "more fire in the belly of (council) members."

"That's what the council is for, to question and probe," Stiller said. "If I had to do it over again ... I think I would have been respectful, but more aggressive."

The council also expects another newcomer, as the Ward 3 position temporarily held by Devon Felsted will be filled during the first few weeks of February.

Weller said he's not afraid of having a differing opinion than other members of the council.

"When you're a part of a group - a partnership - there's going to be disagreements. It's just the name of the game," he said. "However, disagreements never need to be disagreeable. We can discuss things, even if we don't see eye to eye. We can still come in the next day and say, 'I don't agree with you, but at least we had an agreeable conversation about it.' "

Still, Weller doesn't want to get ahead of himself. For now, he said he'll focus on acclimating to his new role. He attended an Association of Washington Cities-sponsored conference in Spokane on Saturday that served to create leadership, provide an avenue to network and increase communication skills for recently elected council members throughout the area.

"It was valuable, valuable information," he said. "When you run for election, you're running as an individual. On the City Council, you're running as a team."

Councilman Barney Waldrop said new council members shouldn't take on too much too fast.

"The first few weeks on the council are entirely a learning experience," he said. "They shouldn't be afraid to draw on the skill and wide experience of city staff and other council members. A lot of the people there have already walked the trails before."

Weller admits there will be a period of adjustment. He'll eventually learn the ins and outs of state and local codes, and the cameras that televise City Council meetings will take some getting used.

"You're under a lot of scrutiny," he said of his position on the council. "You're very aware that people are listening to you. That's different. I've never been in that position."

Weller, a 2005 Washington State University graduate, said he's already referenced his time management skills and study habits formed in college to conquer the packet of background information provided to council members before their Tuesday meetings.

"But it's more than homework. With this, it's about the livelihood of the people in Pullman," he said. "I feel passionately about this. Some people may think that's weird, but I care very much about the city."

"Newest councilman aims to expand diversity and reduce housing costs"

After shockingly and shamefully ignoring last fall's Pullman City Council elections until after they were over, the Daily Evergreen seems to be trying to make up for its recent lack of local political coverage. From today's Evergreen:

From Nathan Weller’s perspective, there is a barrier between the students of WSU and the Pullman community.

The students may make up the majority of the city’s population, work at the coffee bars and shop at the local businesses, but many of them have little involvement with the city’s politics, Weller said. And it’s not from a lack of desire.

“They want to be involved,” he said. “I want there to be a plethora of ways to reach out to the students.” Weller, 26, is the newest member of the Pullman City Council, sworn in on Dec. 26. Having been a resident of Pullman his entire life – and a 2005 WSU graduate with a bachelor’s in psychology – Weller is familiar with the local issues, even if he is by far the youngest of the council members. “I’m a longtime resident,” he said. “For me, a lot of the issues of the council are close to home, as well as the problems for WSU. It’s important for me to serve to help bridge that gap.” Weller said students are burdened by a “phenomenal” number of ordinances. For the current debate regarding whether Pullman should implement a mandatory rental inspections program, Weller is for keeping the program voluntary, to keep the students’ costs down.

“I think instead of legislating and creating an ordinance for everything, it’s better to talk one-on-one,” Weller said.

Weller, who said he has lived in multiple poorly maintained houses and apartments, links the problem to a lack of education. When he was a student, he said he had little knowledge of landlord and tenant rights.

“I think the city council has a piece in the education process,” he said. Mayor Glenn Johnson said the council has a very close relationship with ASWSU – as evident by their two joint meetings this year and constant involvement with the student body president. Johnson also said he receives plenty of feedback through the classes he teaches in the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication. Weller thinks more one-on-one methods are necessary. One of his ideas is to move some of the town’s public forums onto campus.

“When I was a student, I know it was tough for me to come [into town],” Weller said. “Basically, your life is studies.” Also important to Weller is expanding the diversity of Pullman’s economy and reducing housing costs.

“The housing costs are still pretty astronomical,” he said. “Not compared to Seattle, but to other small towns.” Weller won the election in a close race against incumbent Al Sorenson. He said he received many of his ideas from knocking on doors in Ward 2 – which consists of Military Hill and Campus Commons North – when he campaigned for the election.

Along with the Pullman City Council, Weller works at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, where he is a line coordinator. He also owns a small recreational paintball business.

“It’s great to have him on the council,” Johnson said. “He’s already doing his homework and I think he is doing a good job.”

"Pullman council takes applicants for Ward 3 seat"

I'm hoping some good candidates step forward. From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

The Pullman City Council has opened an application process to fill its vacant Ward 3 seat.

The council decided at its Tuesday meeting to accept applications for the position briefly filled by Devon Felsted after the November election process. Felsted formally resigned from the position by letter Dec. 28, due to a conflict of interest.

The Ward 3 application period is officially open as of today. Applicants must be registered voters, a Pullman resident for one year prior to appointment and reside in Ward 3, which encompasses Pioneer Hill and portions of College Hill. Interested individuals should submit a letter of application and answer a set of standard questions. Copies of those questions are available in the mayor's office in Pullman City Hall.

The application period will close at 5 p.m. Jan. 31.

The council will interview candidates and choose a new member at its Feb. 5 meeting. The new Ward 3 council member will take the oath of office the same evening.

Felsted, president of Pullman Disposal, was elected to the position before it was realized he had a conflict of interest. Washington code of ethics statutes pertaining to municipal officers restrict a city from working or exchanging money with an elected official on a business level for more than $18,000 per year. The city's trash bill with Pullman Disposal is about $45,000 per year, even though the two agencies do not have a binding contract per se.

Pullman Disposal is the only licensed solid waste disposal company for the city and its outlying area. Though Felsted is not a major stockholder, his parents, Bill and Val Felsted, own the company and, in planning their estate, put stocks into a trust for their five children. This trust is considered a beneficial interest and both direct and indirect beneficial interests can be conflicts.

In other business,

The council continued its discussion regarding a potential rental property program, aimed at maintaining quality rental units throughout the city. In past meetings, the council has juggled a handful of options to ensure the safety of rental units for area tenants. The solution that has been discussed most includes instituting a mandatory rental inspection program, similar to that of a 1997 Pasco, Wash., ordinance that was held up in the court system on the grounds that it may be unconstitutional.

For now, the council has decided to abandon any mandatory inspection programs and proceed with other options, such as emphasizing the existing voluntary rental inspection program, supporting a Washington State University off-campus housing office and focusing energy on improving problem properties.

Councilman Keith Bloom said something must be done quickly, as the rental market will not correct itself.

He said as long as there are apartments they likely will be occupied - despite the conditions - especially in a college town.

Bloom said the emphasis should be on instituting a program that would identify the owners of all rental properties. He supports some kind of registration program, if only for the sake of knowing who owns what property.

"At least we know who they are," he said. "If we know who the property belongs to, we can start solving problems."

WSU Executive Director of Real Estate Operations and External Affairs Mel Taylor said the university is working to set up an off-campus housing office.

"The idea is a good one and we should do it," he said.

The council will continue to discuss the issue at a public meeting scheduled for March 4.

QUICK READ

WHAT HAPPENED: The Pullman City Council has opened the application process to fill the vacant Ward 3 council seat.

WHAT IT MEANS: Residents living in Ward 3 - which includes Pioneer Hill and a portion of College Hill - are eligible for the position. Applicants also must be more than 18 years old, a registered voter and have been a Pullman resident for one year before appointment. The application period is open until 5 p.m. Jan. 31. The applicant should submit a letter of application and answer a set of standard questions. Copies of those questions are available in the mayor's office in Pullman City Hall.


WHAT'S NEXT: The council will interview applicants during a public meeting Feb. 8. The new Ward 3 council member will be sworn in the same evening.


WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: For those who reside in Ward 3, this council position is intended to represent their best interests.

Whitman County Republican Caucus Locations

All precinct caucus statewide will start at 1 p.m., so be about a half hour early so you can get signed in.

Tekoa #101
Farmington #103

127 S. Leslie
Tekoa 99033
Bunny Bippes & Wendy Sienknecht
509-284-3171

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Garfield #104

1008 Spokane St., Garfield
Susan Love
509-635-1250

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Oakesdale #102
Palouse #106
Palouse #107
Malden #150
Rosalia #151
Thornton #152

Oakesdale Fire Station #10
108 N. 1st. St.
Oakesdale
John Goyke
509-285-5333

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Colton #108
Uniontown #109

Colton School Library
706 Union Street
Colton
Eric Bean
509-229-3779

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Pullman #110
Pullman #111
Pullman #112
Pullman #113
Pullman #114
Pullman #115
Pullman #116
Pullman #117
Pullman #118
Pullman #119
Pullman #120
Pullman #121
Pullman #123
Pullman #124
Pullman #125
Pullman #126
Pullman #127
Pullman #128
Pullman #129
Pullman #130
Pullman #131
Pullman #132
Pullman #133
Pullman #134
Pullman #234
Pullman #235

Franklin Elementary School
Cafeteria
850 SE Klemgard
Pullman
Susan Fagan
509-332-1702

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Pullman #122

345 N.W. Linda
Pullman
Ron Wachter
509-334-2591

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Steptoe #104
Colfax #136
Wilcox #138
Colfax #139
Colfax #140
Colfax #141
Colfax #142

Sterling Savings Bank
803 N. Main St.
Colfax
99111
Michael Largent
509-397-3205

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Colfax #137

Lustig Residence
4202 Ed Hamilton Road,
Endicott, 99125
Vangee Harrison
509-397-3353

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#143 Dusty
#144 Hay
#145 Hooper
#146 LaCrosse

LaCrosse City Hall
LaCrosse
Harmon Smith
509-549-3368

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Endicott #147

401 D Street
Endicott, 99125
Greg Burns
509-657-3640

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#148 Lamont
#149 St. John

4 West Short St.
St. John, 99171
Steve Naught
509-648-4091

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Whitman County Republican Caucuses

Speaking of caucuses, the Whitman County Republican Party will be holding caucuses on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008 at 1:00 PM to select delegates and alternates to the county convention and discuss issues pertinent to the Republican platforms for county, state, and national organizations.

Any registered voter of the precinct in which the caucus is being conducted who is willing to state by signing a Registration Form and List of Participants at Precinct Caucus form that he/she considers him/herself to be a Republican and has not participated and will not participate in the 2008 caucus or convention system of any other party is eligible to participate in the caucus.

In Pullman, except for precinct 122, Ray Lindquist and myself, along with the other Pullman Precinct Committee Officers will be holding a pooled caucus in the Franklin Elementary School Cafeteria at 850 SE Klemgard. Come join us for the most basic grassroots event of our nation’s political system.

Pullman precinct 122 will caucus at 345 N.W. Linda in Pullman.

Check your voter registration card or call the Whitman County Auditor’s Office at (509) 397-6270 to verify your precinct before caucus day.

For more information, log on to whitmancountyrepublicans.org

My Friend, Nathan Weller

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I don't have that problem, because I have friends like Pullman City Councilman-Elect Nathan Weller. Nathan wrote a letter to the editor published in today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News that calls for an apology for below-the-belt comments made on The Daily News website directed at my family.

I'm a Republican and Nathan is a Democrat. So what? He's going to take plenty of heat from those in his party for standing up for me and no doubt get savaged by the anonymous sock puppets on the Daily News website. Chris Lupke (sure must be boring over in Taiwan) has already posted a comment chiding Nathan for having been "deceived" by me, as if I am the Dark Sith Lord and Nathan is my young apprentice, incapable of any independent thought of his own.

Folks, this is a political blog. If you don't like what I write, for God's sake, QUIT COMING HERE (Raymond). I'm not a member of the Gestapo and I have no power whatsoever to "run anyone out of town" (luckily for some people.) Does it get sarcastic and snarky at times. Sure. Do I tell it like I see it, raw and unvarnished? Absolutely. Do I vigorously advocate for what I believe in and expose what I think are lies and half-truths spouted by PARD? Proudly. I'm not a politician. I'm a blogger. That's my job. And if the PARDners think I'm the only one saying these things about them, they live in a fool's paradise. I'm just the only one doing it publicly. They are the true embarrassments to this city.

You want to see some really wild left-wing blogs, surf on over to HorsesAss.org and Democratic Underground. Palousitics looks like a Salvation Army meeting by comparison. One's degree of offense, it seems, is inversely proportional to how much one agrees with what is being stated.

What I don't do is use profanity, claim people are in need of psychiatric help or have rage issues, advocate violence, accuse people of getting drunk, beating their wives, and cheating on their taxes, or make any comments about people's family members that are not publicly involved in the debate. No nasty personal gossip is allowed here. But, if you are going to make wild, unsubstantiated claims that Wal-Mart is going to disinter dead bodies, destroy the public education system, shrivel deer testicles, bring "lower social classes" into town, kill kids and old ladies or that you prefer Target or Costco over Wal-Mart, then be prepared to deal with comments like "leftist," "moonbat," "elitist" or "snob," just as I am prepared to deal with comments like "far right extremist," "wingnut," or "paid shill for Wal-Mart." There probably are ways to intelligently and rationally argue against Wal-Mart that are not based on emotion, political ideology or snobbery, but I have yet to see anyone around on the Palouse exhibit them. If this were, say, the fifth Supercenter being built in Pullman, I would not be such a strong advocate for Wal-Mart (although I would still feel they have the right to build if they were within the law) and I would be equally as strong in my support for Target or Costco should they decide to build here.

I didn't start this fire. Early on, PARD resorted to hysteria, fear, hyperbole, lies, and arrogantly and presumptuously claimed to speak for the majority of Pullman residents. They called down the thunder, now they have it. Grow a thicker skin or get a sense of humor, people.

It would have been easy enough for Nathan to just sit on his hands during all this fabricated brouhaha. Politicians, both Democrat and Republican, could learn from Nathan's morality, integrity, and guts. Pullman will be well served with him as a councilman, just as I have been well served by having him as a friend.

From today's Daily News:

An apology is owed

I read with dismay the recent Daily News Web site posting attacking Tom Forbes by someone who claims to be associated with my campaign. I have no knowledge of this person. Whether he had any connection with my campaign or not makes no difference. Such comments are hurtful, destructive, and divisive and have no place in our community.

I have known Tom for more than 12 months and consider him a friend. Tom and I disagree on many things but our disagreement has never been disagreeable. We are all part of a family and disagreements within families should be handled in a respectful and tolerant manner. We do not want the ways of Washington, D.C., in our state. This individual owes Tom and his family an apology and I hope that he has the decency and courage to do it.

Nathan Weller, Pullman

"Water dominates Pullman meeting of public officials; Council, legislators discuss effects on growth"

We have an excellent legislative team for Pullman. They all understand that environmental regulatory overkill causes the lack of affordable housing for working people and stifles economic development in Pullman. From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Water issues dominated much of the discussion in a town hall meeting between the Pullman City Council and Washington's 9th District legislators Tuesday.

Council members were joined by Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Steve Hailey and new Rep. Joe Schmick to discuss state issues of concern to Pullman leaders. Other topics of conversation included funding for infrastructure, support for Washington State University projects and affordable housing.

Hailey said the solution to many of the concerns relates to water.

"It's a very high priority for me," he said. "If you run out of water, you've got nothing."

Hailey said water issues often slow the construction of new homes - especially those considered affordable housing. Water rights and environmental studies are expensive, and questions regarding recharge of the Palouse's two aquifers are seen as a roadblock by some developers.

He said research efforts must be increased to determine how to maintain water levels and support growth.

Legislators will convene for their 2008 session Jan. 14. Much of the agenda will revolve around the state's supplemental budget, but Hailey said he plans to push the need for more water research in the coming months.

"You have to have sufficient water to support more housing," he said. "I see that as a hurdle that has to be crossed in relatively short order ... In my mind, if we can solve the water issue, we can tackle the affordable housing issue."

Hailey also said a multimillion dollar water reclamation project - a joint effort between the city and WSU - could be funded in 2009-2011. The project would treat citywide wastewater for irritation.

"It's very doable," he said.

Schmick said he plans to defend the city's needs for funding in order to meet what he considers obscenely high requirements pertaining to stormwater management.

Earlier this year, the Washington State Department of Ecology issued statewide permits designed to manage the quality and quantity of runoff from development and to control stormwater discharges into sewer systems. Implementation of the requirements are expected to cost more than $4 million for Pullman. The city has received a grant for $75,000 and may be issued an additional $50,000 to jump-start the five-year permit program.

"There has to be a balance between environmental concerns and those of the cities and towns," Schmick said. "Our side of the aisle is very sympathetic to that."

Hailey agreed that the Department of Ecology has set unrealistically high standards for cities like Pullman.

"We'll try to get you some relief," he said. "I don't know what the answer is, but we'll keep pecking away at it."

Schmick, who was recently appointed to his position, said the meeting with Pullman leaders was helpful.

"We're here to represent the 9th District," he said. "We take this information back to Olympia."

QUICKREAD

WHAT HAPPENED: The Pullman City Council met with Washington's 9th District legislators Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Steve Hailey and Rep. Joe Schmick for a meeting Tuesday. Water issues dominated much of the conversation which also inlcuded affordable housing and Washington State Department of Ecology requirements.

WHAT IT MEANS: Legislators and the council agree that water is a major issue of concern in Pullman and Whitman County.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Legislators will convene for their 2008 session Jan. 14 in Olympia. Schoesler, Hailey and Schmick said they will pass along their constituents' concerns to other state leaders.

"Schmick tabbed to replace Buri; Colfax farmer is top choice to take over 9th District legislative seat"

I was glad Joe stopped by my office to chat last Friday. I hadn't had a chance to congratulate him or catch up on what has been happening in Olympia because I had been in Mexico the previous week.

Joe is not allowed to campaign 30 days before or 30 days after the legislative session. That puts tremendous fundraising restrictions on him that a potential Democratic opponent next year will not face. As former Rep. Don Cox stated at the 9th District PCO meeting, for that reason, the Democrats may see this as an opportunity to pick up their first seat in the 9th District in over 70 odd years. JOE NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW!! I hope you will join me in sending a contribution POSTMARKED BY THIS FRIDAY to:

People for Joe Schmick
830 E Southview Ave
Colfax, WA 99111

From the November 27 edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Washington's 9th District will have a new face in Olympia.

Colfax farmer Joe Schmick was selected Monday by 11 of 18 commissioners from Whitman, Garfield, Adams, Franklin, Asotin and Spokane counties to fill out the remainder of David Buri's term in the Legislature.

Buri resigned from the Legislature earlier this month to become director of government relations at Eastern Washington University. Buri was elected in 2004 and had one year left in his second two-year term. Schmick will serve out the final year of the term.

Schmick was chosen over Palouse Mayor Michael Echanove and LaCrosse farmer and teacher Tedd Nealy. Echanove received support from six commissioners, while Nealy received one vote.

Schmick, 50, has been farming in the area for nearly 30 years and operates a vending machine business, in addition to serving on the Washington Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He unsuccessfully ran in 2006 for the 9th District's seat held by Steve Hailey.

Schmick said he is ready to head to Olympia and serve the district.

"I am certainly honored by this appointment," Schmick said. "I know it is a full-time job. I realize what I just buried myself in. I will work hard."

Schmick told the commissioners he wanted to do something about the declining state of many of the district's small towns.

"The reason I am seeking the position is simple," he said. "I have lived here all my life and in the last 15 years I have seen a real decline in the communities. We have to right the ship and go the other way.

"If we continue down the road we are going there is a train wreck coming."

Schmick said Washington and the district will be facing several tough issues. Atop his list is addressing the state's slow business growth caused by high health-care costs and taxes.

"We have to do better," he said. "We are going to have to address this or we will continue to see businesses go elsewhere. I am tired of watching businesses trudge across the border into Idaho."

One of Schmick's first orders of business in the Legislature will be attending a one-day special session called by Gov. Chris Gregoire to deal with Initiative 747, which caps property tax increases at 1 percent. Schmick indicated he would support I-747 even though Whitman County voters voted against the initiative in 2001 and officials from the county led a battle against it to the state supreme court.

"I am in favor of any protection we can give the taxpayer," Schmick said, noting that five of the district's six counties voted for the initiative.

Schmick said he wants to hear from the constituents he represents.

"When I screw up I want to hear about it," Schmick said. "If I am on the wrong side of something I need to know about it. I will do my best to represent the 9th District."

Whitman County Commissioner Greg Partch said all the candidates were qualified for the job.

"We couldn't have gone wrong with any of these candidates," Partch said. "I am happy with the choice."

Happy Birthday, Nathan!

Our newest city councilman and all around stand-up guy Nathan Weller turns 26 today.

"Sorensen concedes defeat during recount, Weller will assume Ward 2 City Council seat Jan. 1"

I hope Al and Nathan both continue to share with us their visions for Pullman here on Palousitics. From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Pullman City Councilman Al Sorensen conceded defeat in his bid for re-election as Whitman County election officials manually recounted ballots from the November election Wednesday in Colfax.

Sorensen called off the recount as the final ballots were being checked and shook the hand of challenger Nathan Weller, who will assume the Ward 2 seat Jan. 1.

"It was apparent and obvious that the recount wasn't going to change the outcome of the election," Sorensen said.

Weller said he still is surprised by the entire experience.

"I'm just now turning 26. I'm pretty shocked," said Weller, whose birthday is Friday. "But now I'm ready to serve the city of Pullman."

Sorensen called for the manual recount after election results were certified Nov. 27. Weller received 279 votes to Sorensen's 270.

At least a dozen observers watched two pairs of election staff members from the Whitman County auditor's office manually recount the 635 ballots from the seven precincts in Ward 2. The numbers matched during the first pair's round of recounting in four out of seven precincts. Due to the slight discrepancies, the other pair of staff members were brought in to recount the ballots from the three precincts that didn't match up in the first pair's manual recount.

Staff members were busy counting the final batch when Sorensen stood and asked them to stop.

"I ended it on my terms," he said. "I followed the rules of the system and ordered the recount for a number of reasons. My supporters told me I should, and I needed to do it just to make sure the count was done correctly."

Whitman County Elections Technician Karen Bafus said the results will remain as certified because Sorensen stopped the recount. Sorensen technically will serve until Dec. 31, although the council's last meeting of the year has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Sorensen said he doesn't plan to take the issue any further.

"I'm done," he said. "Just to see the (recount) process and go through it was a very educational thing ... It gives me much more appreciation for the auditor's office and how the democratic process works."

Sorensen, who wants to leave the council on a good note, said he will remain an active proponent for citywide street and sidewalk repairs - issues he supported as part of a $2.2 million bond in 2006. He also is open to the possibility of sitting on commissions, or "wherever I can be utilized best. This is a place that I love."

Weller said he wants to remain in communication with Sorensen, and that he would like his predecessor to provide him with some direction in his new role.

"He's very important to this community," Weller said. "If he'll let me, I think it's extremely important to keep him involved."

Al Sorensen's Statement on Election Results After Recount for Council, Ward #2, Position #1 City of Pullman

December 5, 2007

I would like to thank everyone that has supported me in this process. It has been a heck of an experience. I have found that I have many supporters in Pullman and in the surrounding communities.

I would also like to thank Mayor Glenn Johnson and the City of Pullman employees for all their help and support over the past two years. We have a great Mayor and City staff that help make Pullman a great place to live.

Thank you to all of the other current City Council members. We have a tremendous council and they continue to work hard for the City of Pullman.

In regards to the outcome of the recount, it is what it is. Nathan received more votes than I did so therefore he is the winner. The recount verifies that all is good with the counting. I needed to ask for the recount in order to be sure that the counting was accurate.

I have enjoyed my time on the Council. It has been a great experience. I plan to continue to be active in the community. My service to the City that I love so much is not done. I will continue to be active by volunteering for where ever I am needed.

Sincerely,

A1 Sorensen

With your passion for this city, Al, we all hope you continue to stay active as a citizen. Thank you for your service.