City Council and School Board candidate questionnaires

2021 Primary Elections

Tumbleweird sent a questionnaire out to candidates in the primary elections. Candidates are listed by position in alphabetic order.

We sent every candidate in the Tri-Cities who is in the primary elections for School Board and City Council the questionnaire, and we are printing every answer we received. We have not edited the candidates’ answers in any manner.

We are in the process of creating an online voter’s guide for the upcoming elections in November, so stay tuned!

Other resources include:
my.lwv.org/washington/benton-franklin-counties
progressivevotersguide.com/washington

You can still register to vote!
www.vote411.org

Benton County:
www.bentonelections.com

Franklin County:
co.franklin.wa.us/auditor

Primary election ballots must be dropped off by August 3!
Drop box locations: bit.ly/3hHVnK1

Candidates for City Council

KENNEWICK

Kennewick Council Position 1

1. When it comes to cost of living and affordable housing, what role should the city play?

Don Britain:
One of the things the City is directly responsible for is the property tax levy rate, not the property tax assessed value, that is set by the County. Kennewick’s property tax levy rate per $1000 of valuation has decreased by 17% since I was first elected 12 years ago. This helps keep property tax lower. This is done by growing our city in a responsible manner, having great partnerships to solicit ideas and suggestion, such as we have with the Home Builders Association, that will streamline permitting and processing. We now have Same Day Permitting that helps in this area. We need to be good stewards of the taxpayer money. We will continue, if I am re-elected, to have sensible and conservative budgets that will meet the needs of our community. Over the past 4 budgets, the average increase was on 2%. Unlike the federal government cities cannot operate in the red. In addition, our Kennewick Housing Authority continues to provide affordable living areas, recently building a tiny home community.

Gretl Crawford:
We need less regulations and fees on our construction industry to provide more affordable housing options. We need more options for housing in Kennewick, as well as smaller and mixed use housing options. The city’s zoning has to change to allow for necessary options for builders and developers to create these. With current zoning, most neighborhoods don’t allow for small homes, and therefore, prices are kept too high for many. There are alot more options than just homes, with yards that need to be developed.

2. How can the city best help the people and businesses that were affected most by the COVID pandemic?

Don Britain:
This past year has been extremely difficult and presented many challenges for our City, and our citizens as we all have dealt with Covid 19. Many of us have lost loved ones to this virus and it has affected many lives. We have had to operate as a City, and live as a community, under State emergency mandates that have hurt our businesses and restricted our individual activities. I have supported policies that have helped our businesses, where legally possible, such as modifying our City code to allow expanded outdoor dining in parking lots, waiving permit fees, offering free inspections of outdoor dining structures to make sure people are dining in a safe atmosphere and expanded our city park hours in the evening. I do look forward to the day when we can re-open City Hall to the public and once again have our City Council meetings in person. The end is finally in sight

Gretl Crawford:
The COVID pandemic affected people in many different ways. It was a very difficult year that created a lot of divisions within our community. It is time to come back together and support one another, regardless of individual choices that we all made. This past year was often about survival, and individual needs for an entire community. We need to respect one another’s choices, but we also have to move forward. Businesses need workers to come back and we, as businesses and individuals, are facing shortages throughout industries that shows the impact of shutting down a country for close to a year. We can’t continue that. Businesses will have to be sensitive to customers and employees that are possibly not yet comfortable being around others, but life has to begin to move forward again.

3. Thinking about actions you can take from your elected position, what do you think the top priorities of our community should be in response to problems in our law enforcement and justice system?

Don Britain:
The issues being reported on and happening at the National level for the most part are not systemic in our police department. As a Council it’s important that we receive timely and accurate updates regarding our police department, which is happening now. For the past year our department received over 500 citizen compliments versus 12 complaints. We need to continue to support our police department with funding and resources to allow them to continue to do the excellent job they do. Kennewick Police have had substantial training, the Crime Resistant Community Living Program continues to grow and collaborate with our local police agencies to increase awareness through training, our CHIPS program contributed to over 3200 hours of volunteering, Community Relations Unit engages with our citizens on a regular basis and KPD has been very engaged in Mental Health Court and Drug Court. And by the end of 2021 body cameras will be worn by all police officers.

Gretl Crawford:
Again, this past year has been difficult on all of us in so many ways. There has been a lot of media sensations and dangerous things going on all over our nation. We, in kennewick, however, have continued to lead good, safe lives here in Kennewick. We can’t let outside influences affect our town. I want residents to feel safe and in order for that to happen, they need to feel like they live in a civil society, with rules and order. Our local police are doing a great job overall. There will always be one or two amongst us in any industry that threaten our integrity, but I will support law enforcement, first responders, their families, as well as the citizens of Kennewick to keep our city a great place to want to live, work and play. There is always room for improvement, and those will be the things that I look forward to working on in conjunction with those departments.

4. List the top 3 most pressing challenges for the city. How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Don Britain:
1. We need to finally expand our UGA south of I-82. We have been trying for 10 years but organizations have caused roadblocks. Last year we annexed approximately 250 acres as part of our strategy. This will increase our Industrial use land and bring in family wage jobs(such as what Port of Pasco just did).

2. Continue creating partnerships that will better the City of Kennewick. Such as our partnership with the Port of Kennewick to redevelop Vista Field and Downtown Kennewick area. Kennewick also has an agreement in place with A1 Pearl for a public/private partnership to expand our Convention Center, add a hotel and retail building, and eventually add 3 towers of apartments. Aggressive yes, but it’s a vision that can be accomplished. This agreement has been criticized by a couple of members on Council and I fear this development will be slowed or even halted depending on election results.

3. Continue having sensible and conservative budgets that will meet the needs of our community. Over the past 4 budgets, the average increase was on 2%. Unlike the federal government cities cannot operate in the red.

Gretl Crawford:
1. Growth and development: Our city’s growth and services are not keeping pace to provide enough services for a growing community. We continue to add alot of housing, but we have not been able to attract new large businesses or services, such as more variety in food (restaurants), community centers that encourage gathering and creative arts. How do we make Kennewick more attractive to others to create vitality in our town?

2. Jobs and opportunity: Providing a good place where small and large businesses and those looking for good jobs to want to be. A thriving community is made up of all kinds of backgrounds and interests, and we need to continue to expand our base of opportunity and promote more good living wage jobs here in Kennewick. We need to attract more young professionals and more diverse work force.

3. Community development: My priority is to keep Kennewick a safe, clean town that embraces the rich diversities of those around us and celebrates those through bringing us together in mixed use type developments to create a town that its citizens and those from other areas want to live, work and play. By working together, we become a stronger community. I am focused on working with the Port of Kennewick to make Vista fields, the Willows, the wine village and the down town area come alive and help bring our community out and together

Kennewick Council Position 3

1. When it comes to cost of living and affordable housing, what role should the city play?

Brandon Andersen:
We need more affordable housing options, composting/recycling, bike and walking paths and more options for entertainment and night life.

Jason Lohr:
We are experiencing a housing crisis in Kennewick. Our city is growing incredibly fast, and we need housing that is affordable at all income levels. City Council must work to both encourage new single-family residential developments on the outer edges of the city while also working with the planning commission and developers to build mixed-use, medium-density housing that creates the kind of walkable neighborhoods young people are asking for. By providing not just more housing but more types of housing, we can ensure no one is left behind as Kennewick grows.

2. How can the city best help the people and businesses that were affected most by the COVID pandemic?

Brandon Andersen:
There are a multitude of things; grants and federal/state funded programs are a great way to help our community recover and provide assurance that the city of Kennewick is working to defend our individual rights as Americans and also maintain public safety.

Jason Lohr:
With a booming economy. One of the central focuses of my campaign is investing in our infrastructure. By putting people to work in good paying local jobs, we can directly inject stimulus dollars into our economy while encouraging investment from businesses in our community.

Brandon Andersen:
Body cameras are necessary for law enforcement. We need mental health services and low-income housing options to help save our people from homelessness, gangs, and poverty.

Jason Lohr:
Kennewick is fortunate to have an open relationship with our police department. City Council should build on this by creating a joint KPD/civilian commission to foster communication and understanding within our community. Recent partnerships with the Benton County Mental Health Court and local health professionals are good first steps to more just and effective policing. By expanding on these partnerships and creating new ones, we can better serve our citizens while allowing the police to focus on law enforcement. I believe the police wear too many hats. We cannot expect the same person to be addiction councilor, healthcare provider, social worker, community mediator, and law enforcement.

4. List the top 3 most pressing challenges for the city. How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Brandon Andersen:
1. Development of Creative District and Bridge to Bridge area. The development of the creative district will put a cultural stamp on the downtown area, making it a very cool place for creatives to create and sell their work. I imagine more buskers, events, and entertainment in the downtown area will help our downtown area feel like an upscale and trendy downtown.

2. Multi-Use Spaces and Performance spaces. We need more opportunities for performers and artists. Multi-use spaces would enable us to be creative with the spaces we already have, so we can bring new life to the downtown area.

3. Improving the quality of life for every Kennewick Resident. We need a regional metro to represent Kennewick among this region, a local festival grounds and more bike paths. We also need more protection for small businesses in the face of large corporations, it’s a miracle that small business owners continue to thrive, and for that we have our local community to thank.

Jason Lohr:
1. Moving past personal and partisan division. City Council is a nonpartisan position, and it should be. The recent bickering, lawsuits, ethics violations, and censures are not only an embarrassment but a distraction. Council is a job, and I am interested in getting the job done. I will work to refocus Council on the work while deflating the personal grudges dividing our elected representatives.

2. Updating and future-proofing our infrastructure. The number of people moving to Kennewick will only increase while drought and fires stress our utilities and services. We need to prepare this city for the next ten years by expanding our water treatment and storage, power generation, transportation, and fire services. I am proud to have the endorsement of the Central Washington Building and Construction Trades Council and our Kennewick Firefighters, and will seek out the input of all stakeholders as we work to ensure the people of Kennewick have the services they need to live, work, and raise families here.

3. Revitalizing downtown Kennewick and developing our waterfront. Kennewick needs a place where we can go out to shop, eat, drink, and enjoy entertainment in one pleasantly walkable trip. I have seen other cities institute entrepreneur laboratories where the city provides low-cost or free space to new local businesses for a defined period of time in exchange for a commitment from the owners that they grow their business within the city. I would like to pursue this in our downtown. We need to complete the Washington Street corridor to connect downtown to Clover Island. We must work closely with the Port of Kennewick and the Corps of Engineers to develop the waterfront into the kind of place that will both enrich the lives of locals and attract tourism to our city. Kennewick is growing, I want to ensure that growth is for the better. Let’s build a better Kennewick together!

Kennewick Council Position 4

1. When it comes to cost of living and affordable housing, what role should the city play?

Bryan Meehan-Verhei:
Affordable housing is a key issue for our city. We are growing at an unbelievable pace, and we are at a point where we can direct healthy growth or let unregulated growth happen to us. The city needs to take a close look at the zoning in effect and work to make more multifamily zoning available. This will make more opportunities for projects that can add to the rental units in the city and help drive down skyrocketing rent prices.

Additionally, the city should review the rules for adding an accessory dwelling unit on private property to allow more property owners to add a second small home or apartment above a shed or garage to the property that they already own. Finally, the city needs to do whatever it can to lower the barriers to new construction. By removing any steps that add cost for no gain in safety or environmental protection, the city can make sure that to balance the cost to the home builder against the needs for safety and environment.

Ubaldina Creek:
The City should a stronger partnership with local professional such as real estate agents, contractors and etc, to effectively access and leverage their knowledge, skill set and resources.

2. How can the city best help the people and businesses that were affected most by the COVID pandemic?

Bryan Meehan-Verhei:
First and foremost, we need to continue to make it as easy as possible for people to get the COVID vaccine. It has become clear that this is the best way to make sure we do not see another COVID outbreak. Beyond that, the city can best help by supporting businesses with events that will drive traffic to them. Restaurants and non-food retail being among the hardest hit make these events a great way to support businesses. A great example of this would be when the city closed down a street in front of downtown businesses to allow for outdoor dining.

Ubaldina Creek:
The City must make sure that people and businesses that have been affected by Covid know where to access the resources that can help them.

Bryan Meehan-Verhei:
Law enforcement reform has been at the top of the public’s mind this year and for good reason. There have been terrible acts committed by officers who were charged with the protection of the public. I believe the city council should seek to partner with local police to provide them with additional tools to help prevent tragedies and to work to build a relationship with the public that is a positive one.

Ubaldina Creek:
1. What training does our Police dept. have in place and does it need revamping?

2. What is being done in the realm of diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of
local governance.

3. What is being done to ensure that all citizens are being treated fairly by justice system in regards to sentencing and incarceration.

4. More prevention and intervention to anticipate issues before they get out of hand.

4. List the top 3 most pressing challenges for the city. How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Bryan Meehan-Verhei:
1. Affordable housing and cost of living

2. Infrastructure and intelligent growth

3. Harm reduction and mental health

Ubaldina Creek:
1. Affordable housing- better partners with local professional such as real estate agents, contractors and etc, to effectively access and leverage their knowledge, skill set and resources.

2. Affordable and available childcare- connect with local agencies ei; ESD 123, Head Start, Inspire and etc. programs so as make our citizens aware of what is available in the community.

3. Columbia Park- beautify shoreline to encourage more local use and tourism

PASCO

Pasco Council Position 3

1. When it comes to cost of living and affordable housing, what role should the city play?

Irving L Brown Sr:
I think the city of Pasco has a very important role to play when it comes to the issue of access to affordable housing. While the city’s powers are limited in comparison to state and federal government, they do control zoning within the boundaries of the city, I believe that the key to dealing with this issue, especially as it relates to what a city can do is in the promotion of mixed use residential areas, and implementing zoning policies that will increase the supply of housing and diversify it so that we have different types of housing across the city in greater numbers that will allow new people moving in to buy or rent an affordable home, and that will not displace longer term residents or members of marginalized communities in the process.

Leo A. Perales:
The city should have an active role in affordable housing but then also at times they need to get out of the way. Currently the vacancy rate in Pasco for housing rentals is 0.5%. For every vacant apartment/rental, we have 18 applicants. It’s been noted that we on the verge of a housing crisis. Let me be clear: we are in a housing crisis. We need bold ideas and a fresh approach to building affordable housing in Pasco. As a former Housing Authority commissioner, I know how to get shovel ready projects funded so we can increase our housing stock but housing needs to be a regional approach at the end of the day which will require collaboration with our sister cities. The city can do the following:

* Create an Housing Action Plan so we can access state funding.

*Allow for flexibility in our zoning code if the project is in line with our comprehensive plan but perhaps not our land use plan. We must also work as a region to start the process of Growth Management Act Reform.

*Create a one-stop permit/fees shop so developers can get working on their projects.

*Create a commission to review permits and fees that are inhibiting affordable housing

*Look for creative ways with community stakeholders and non-profits to create affordable housing-HUD/LIHTC/Department of Commerce-Housing Trust Fund, County 2060 Funds, Federal Grants, ETC.

These aren’t al the answers but they can be a start to tackling our housing crisis.

Nikki Torres:
When it comes to affordable housing we need to make sure we are tackling our zoning laws and city county agreements in a careful, constructive, and planned out way that allows us to build affordable housing for new people coming in while simultaneously not stressing our systems as a city, such as the services our city produces. We need to do this very carefully when we deal with housing or we are going to create a situation where the services get stretched and where there is not affordable housing for people. The city can encourage a diverse housing supply such as apartments, condos, townhomes, single family homes that will meet the housing needs for people of all income levels. Also, housing comes down to the economy, we need to be pro-growth to attract businesses that offer living wage jobs. To sustain the growth that Pasco is expecting, we need to make sure we have a plan to attract businesses and manufacturing which will bring business investment and living wage jobs.

2. How can the city best help the people and businesses that were affected most by the COVID pandemic?

Irving L Brown Sr:
The City of Pasco should help businesses by implementing a freeze on local taxes that businesses are required to pay, and work with organizations like the Pasco Chamber of Commerce to figure out what other policies the city can enact. When it comes to helping people recovery from this pandemic, I think the city needs to go in the same direction it has been going which is provide greater flexibility on utility payments and work closely with state and federal government to implement existing relief programs.

Leo A. Perales:
The pandemic had far reaching economic impacts. The devastation on our small businesses was immense. Small businesses are the heart and soul of communities and they need more help. Small business need an ally on the Pasco City Council and my plan is as follows:

*Create a smart recovery plan with community stakeholders that is tailored to our community.

*Commit upwards of $2 million dollars to assist small businesses to get back on track form the American Rescue Plan funds.

*Review fees/required permits to perhaps allow for a waiver for businesses hard hit by the pandemic.

*Invest in infrastructure projects that will help spur economic growth.

*Look to support businesses that can begin selling their goods and services online, this was key during the pandemic which allowed many businesses to stay afloat.

*Focus heavily on business recruitment and retention in our city.

*Collaborating with local non-profits like the Latino Business Association of Tri-Cities and the Tri-Cities Regional Chamber of Commerce to assist in technical business training for small businesses.

*Create a one stop shop to starting a business in Pasco, we should be able to tell a prospective business owner and jobs creator everything they need to get their business up and running.

*Collaboration with community stakeholders should always be on going and verifiable. The city should never be in the dark.

We won’t get there over night but we can start the road to recovery and keep our businesses afloat. At the end of the day, business owners don’t want to exist on programs, they want to exist and thrive on possibilities and the city shouldn’t be sucking the lifeblood out it’s businesses. I plan on getting local government out of the way and out of our businesses pockets.

Nikki Torres:
The city can help by pointing individuals and businesses, impacted by the COVID-19, to the assistance that is available. For individuals, the American Rescue Plan of March 2021 provided stimulus payments of $1,400 to millions of Americans. For those who became unemployed, unemployment benefits were extended to September 6, 2021. As our economy reopens, the city can also mount a campaign to encourage people to get back to work. Many businesses are currently short-handed and are advertising jobs that pay above minimum wage. For businesses impacted by Covid, the city should help them apply for the several assistance programs available. For example, our state has a Flex Fund loan program that provides low-interest loans up to $150,000 per business. The state also offers Business Tax Relief, including payment extensions and waivers. On the Federal side, the Small Business Administration (SBA) offers emergency loans of up to $10,000. Also, the city can consider halting or deferring financial burdens placed on small businesses for a minimum of 60 days. Redeploying city staff to provide technical assistance to business owners with special efforts to reach out to minority owned businesses. Surveying small businesses to evaluate their impact should also be done. Lastly, create a central online one-stop shop for resources, tools, and information for small businesses in both English and Spanish

Irving L Brown Sr:
This is a complicated issue and one that our country at every level is discussing in depth. As an African American man, I feel a deep sense of personal connection to the issue of equity in our justice system and the pain that has been expressed by the marginalized communities impacted by negative interactions with law enforcement. On the flip side, I also understand the importance of maintaining our law enforcement and providing the men and women who serve with the appropriate resources and training to do their jobs effectively.

The key to fixing any problem is first acknowledging that it exists, and secondly, creating space to have difficult conversations. In this case, we need to acknowledge that marginalized communities face higher incarceration rates, higher incidence of violence when interacting with law enforcement and disproportionate treatment in the justice system. We also need to acknowledge that part of the reason our country is struggling with this right now is that we keep asking our law enforcement officials to do more and more and provide them fewer and fewer resources or training that would allow them to do the things we are asking them to do. A police officer today is expected to be a social worker, a psychologist, a detox specialist, and they are expected to do everything perfectly with minimal health benefits, a substantially reduced pay, and often times with the community that has lost faith in them.

If we want to rebuild the bonds between law enforcement and the communities we are asking them to serve, we need to acknowledge where both sides of this discussion are coming from. Once we have done that, we need to create stronger methods for public input and oversight of law enforcement while simultaneously providing the resources that our officers need to do their jobs, and to protect our communities. An example of how we can do this would be to strengthen our citizen boards that interact with law enforcement, and fully fund a detox center here in the Tri cities area. Another way that we could strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the community would be to provide the kind of funding necessary to hire more social workers, more mental health support professionals, and increase the training toolbox that every officer is given when addressing a situation. We should adopt A belief that we can always do better when it comes to our institutions of government and our justice system, that does not mean we say that one side or the other is bad, what it means is that we step up, we put our money where our mouth is, and we do the work to make sure that both sides of this discussion are fairly heard and that both are being given a chance to succeed in our larger society. We will never get anywhere if we are constantly at war with each other, we will never get anywhere if we assume the absolute worst of one another, now is the time to come together and think collectively about how we can solve the issues involved in our justice system, I believe very firmly as a former HR manager and given my background that I can be a productive voice in this conversation and that I can help make sure that we are having the conversation that the citizens of Pasco and of the Tri cities in general deserve.

Leo A. Perales:
This issue hits home for me. I’m the only candidate running who has a longstanding track record on community policing efforts. Pasco had an unfortunate officer involved shooting in 2015. Antonio Zambrano-Montes’ death sparked protests and reform locally. Where many people were running from this issue years ago, I was one of a few concerned residents who ran towards the issue to see where I could help. No other candidate in the race for District 3 can say that. These issues can be quite intense but working with a determined community group and with great support from the Pasco Police Department and ACLU, we were able to collaborate on issues concerning police training and use of force. This resulted in an updated Use of Force policy that fits our community and upholds as a major tenet: the sanctity of human life. Presently, this policing debate has been reduced to a false choice that you are either with the police or you’re against them. I’m for safety and we need law enforcement but we can ask them to do better. My plan is as follows:

*Continue Pasco community outreach with community stakeholders, faith-based groups, and residents. Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out and the Citizens Academy are good community engagement activities that I want to see strengthened and more resources allocated to.

*We need more city council who VOCALIZE their support for Law Enforcement and smart reforms but with the emphasis that both sides need to be RESPECTFUL. It’s gotten to toxic and politicized.

*Re-evaluate policies and trainings with community input but any policy reform should keep the resident and law enforcement officer safe.

I’ve seen a police department make changes contrary to what you may see in the media or newspapers. When both sides can come together, positive changes can happen. As a council member I will run towards these issues, not away from them like past council members. I won’t turn my back on my fellow community members or the brave men and women in Blue. We are a community and we both need one another. That’s true community policing.

Nikki Torres:

Professional community policing is very important for our community. We all need to feel that our police are there to protect and respect us. The Pasco Police Department over the last five years has adopted reforms in its policies and operations, recruitment, training and community engagement that have earned the trust and confidence of our multi-cultural community. As a result, our police force is now nationally accredited, making it one of only a handful of police departments in our state to have this honor. Our police department is the first one in the Tri-Cities to require body cameras on policemen which enables us to see how our police interact with persons interviewed or detained. Going forward, we as a City Council and a community should increase our communication with our police department. We should participate in the “Coffee with a Cop” program to express our views and concerns on policing. We can also provide feedback to our police department’s social media postings. Currently, the city has a public survey available for public comment.

4. List the top 3 most pressing challenges for the city. How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Irving L Brown Sr:
As I see it, here are the top three challenges the city of Pasco is facing and how I would
address them:

1. Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic: As a city council member I will push the council to work cooperatively with our local businesses, regional partners, and residents to identify and implement policies that will stimulate equitable economic growth.

2. Access to Affordable Housing: I provided an answer to this issue in the very first question, we need to increase the diversity of our housing supply, I believe we do this by examining how we have zoned our city and by promoting mixed use residential areas so that we can have businesses and housing. What I would add to this approach that wasn’t in the first question is an acknowledgement that one of the biggest things we need to do is make sure that we are spreading the growth in a fair and equitable manner that includes all sectors of the city, especially East Pasco.

3. Infrastructure: currently the city of Pasco is experiencing unprecedented population growth, I believe that our city is on the right track when it comes to rebuilding our city’s infrastructure. However, I think there is room for improvement, especially around projects in the eastern half of our city, I think we need to see what grants we can get and figure out what other projects we can engage in to revitalize East Pasco.

Leo A. Perales:
1. Implementing a recovery plan to get our businesses thriving again. See my answers to question #2.

2. Affordable Housing and Housing Affordability. See my answer to #1.

3. Infrastructure Spending-Every strong economy is built on strong infrastructure, roads, bridges, ports, railway, aviation, energy etc. By promoting more economic development we can bring more tax dollars into the general fund which will also allow us to leverage those funds to apply for loans and bonds for transportation and capital projects. Being strategic about our capital improvements will also be key. I will also like the city to review our budgets more thoroughly to see where we can cut wasteful spending. and that should be the focus: what can we cut. I think we need more transparency when it comes to funding sources and how much is being spent. Just saying its online lacks transparency. Put the information in a newsletter, in a infographic video. More importantly I think we should have our local government focus on the core functions of government like roads, water treatment facilities, etc. I will focus on Road 68 so we can clean up that disaster from previous administrations as well as funding infrastructure projects to keep pace with our growth.

Nikki Torres:
1. First, Smart Urban Growth. The city is expecting a population boom of 40,000 within the next 20 years and we need to be ready for that growth. This means having a good mix of residential and commercial zoning, sidewalks along all major roads, good healthcare facilities, plenty of open areas for parks, recreational areas, and for future schools.

2. Second, Affordable Housing. As we grow as a city, it is important that we have housing for all our residents. More affordable housing means less homelessness and a diverse housing supply will accommodate residents of all income levels.

3. Third, Economic Development. The recent news that Darigold will invest $500 million to build a new plant and create 1,200 new jobs is great news for Pasco. The 300 acre Reimann Industrial Center, operated by the Port of Pasco and where the new Darigold plant will go, will yield $1.5 million in property tax revenue. I will work hard to bring more business investment and living wage jobs to our city.

RICHLAND

Richland Council Position 1

1. When it comes to cost of living and affordable housing, what role should the city play?

Chaune’ Fitzgerald:
The city can ensure an adequate zoning of land to be used for affordable housing projects and give incentives for builders to work with our State Commerce with affordable housing grants. When housing is affordable, low and moderate income families are able to put nutritious food on the table, receive health care, provide reliable day care for their children. The city city should also recognize that development of affordable housing increases spending and employment in our city’s economic development.

2. How can the city best help the people and businesses that were affected most by the COVID pandemic?

Chaune’ Fitzgerald:
As a small business owner, I know first hand the effects of COVID-19. The city of Richland can start by removing barriers to the support that was offered to businesses. The city can continue to offer support though the COVID-19 Emergency Financial Assistance program that offers support for home mortgage and rental assistance with increased income limits. The city can collaborate with non-profit organizations who offer and provide business resources to the community. The city should consider a facility that will offer workforce training and assistance for business strategies , grant writing, technical training and financial literacy for businesses and the people in our community to strive.

Chaune’ Fitzgerald:
My First priority is to the people in this community and their concerns. SAFETY, EQUITY and ACCESABILITY for the people in Richland is the number goal. As Commissioner on African American Affairs in the Southeast, I am aware of the historical issues and current concerns. I plan to review the current safety policies in place locally for equity and support the 12 bills that Gov. Inslee signed that will lead to the strongest law enforcement and justice accountability system to date.

4. List the top 3 most pressing challenges for the city. How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Chaune’ Fitzgerald:
1. Public Safety- Promote quality of life, safe streets, parks and schools. Ensure environmental justice and safety policies in support of the Hanford site safe clean-up.

2.Affordable Housing and Community Support Facilities- Designate land for affordable housing and build facilities for homelessness, mental health, substance abuse and aging care.

3. Economic Development- Ensure the Comprehensive Plan in place is equitable, and inclusive to our entire community. Create or amend policy aiming to improve the well-being of people, business development, education advancement, workforce readiness, jobs, fair wage, social development and overall improve life and prosperity of our region and local community in Richland.

Richland Council Position 2

1. When it comes to cost of living and affordable housing, what role should the city play?

Marianne Boring:
Smart growth, smart infrastructure, and especially land use planning, codes and policies are the fundamental base within communities that create opportunities for housing. Development codes are fair and balanced for all types of residential development, and also ensure Staff peruse and any federal and state grants and promote those opportunities to residents.

Theresa Richardson:
[Candidate did not submit an answer]

2. How can the city best help the people and businesses that were affected most by the COVID pandemic?

Marianne Boring:
As a Councilperson I will continue to encourage staff and my constituents to promote and increase visibility of these offerings. I will address assistance for people separate from help for business.

People: On the City’s website, under the heading of Richland Housing Programs, there’s a tab named “COVID-19 Emergency Financial Assistance Program” where information can be found describing the types of assistance available to our residents.

Businesses: On the City’s website, under the Development Services tab follow the link to “Business & Economic Development” and from there to the “COVID-19 Business Support” option, you will find information about several ongoing assistance programs.

Theresa Richardson:
[Candidate did not submit an answer]

Marianne Boring:
In Richland we have been very fortunate to have an incredible working relationship with our law enforcement partners for which we are grateful. As a Councilperson I have encouraged and will continue to support hiring trained social-service staff to assist and supplement the tools available to our law enforcement officers as they seek to safely and effectively serve
our community.

Theresa Richardson:
[Candidate did not submit an answer]

4. List the top 3 most pressing challenges for the city. How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Marianne Boring:
Please see below for what I consider my most fundamental objectives:

1. Smart Growth – Smart Infrastructure: Smart Growth is flexible and emphasizes mixed land uses, increases the availability of affordable housing by creating a range of housing opportunities in neighborhoods, takes advantage of compact design, walkability, bikeabilty, and provides for distinctive and attractive communities, preserves open space, natural beauty and critical environmental areas.

2. Enhanced Community Involvement: I believe we need to do a better job obtaining more community involvement at all levels.

3. Imaginative Reuse Plans: Renovate existing underutilized buildings to make way for new uses

Theresa Richardson:
1. Homelessness: As I have canvassed just over 2300 homes to date and asked what people are concerned about - this is the #1 issue. I will assure we enforce policies to protect property values, business investment, and public spaces while appropriately responding to an individuals need for drug treatment or mental health support. My professional and personal experience can be helpful.

2. Housing: No other candidate has dedicated her life to working with this issue. I want a seat at the table to bring my experience forging corporate relationships and non-profit passion to find community solutions. Cities of every size are grappling with the lack of available affordable housing. The City can not solve this problem alone. I believe that it will require innovative approaches working in part with the private sector, non-profit organizations, and public agencies.

3. Hope: Richland has so much potential. We must address Richland’s central district now before it becomes blighted. Let’s bring together creative innovation to build a “sense of place’ that we’re all excited to share. Regarding businesses struggling to survive after Covid, let’s start with a survey to more accurately understand the gaps in resources and education that’s now currently available and what more would be helpful. I would approach our Economic Development Committee to task with this assignment to better understand what businesses are facing. Regarding public safety, I believe that we all want to live in a community where we are at peace and each voice is respected. I support additional police training to be able to better respond under tremendous pressure and spilt second decision making.

Candidates for School Board

KENNEWICK

Kennewick School District, Director No. 1

1. What role does the school board have in leading our schools to be more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable?

David Nielsen:
If a school isn’t welcoming and including all students, then has to stop immediately. School is for every walk of life for the children to learn. It’s wrong to not be open arms to public education for all the children in Kennewick attending public school.

Micah Valentine:
a. We need to always be striving for equality of opportunity. We need kids to know they have unlimited potential, and we need to provide ways for them to achieve it. That should always be our primary goal.

b. One thing that makes our country so great is the belief one can do anything. It is vital every student feels this and has the chance to succeed. Let us not cap potential.

Scott E. Rodgers:
Foremost, the board adopts, modifies, and removes local policies, and the board can review and revise existing policies, as well as adopt new policies designed to foster a more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment. But policy is formal and legalistic. The board signals and reinforces the values that will be transmitted through the schools, and does more to set the tone for the district by choosing which issues it embraces, and which it ignores. If inclusion, diversity, and equitable principles are embraced, championed, modeled, and disseminated, then the board will set the expectation that the schools will do the same. The board sets these examples through its symbolic functions as well as through its routine business. Statements and actions. The board should continue to explicitly champion Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, and should use its tools and functions to address issues seriously and intentionally when they arise.

2. How are school districts meeting the needs of students who have been learning remotely during the pandemic?

David Nielsen:
not well. Have talked to parents and they struggled with remote learning. Too many kids drop through the cracks and get lost, and then behind their classmates. When that happens, it’s not good.

Micah Valentine:
I have been looking at everything I can get my eyes on. I’ve also been meeting with superintendents, principles, athletic directors, community health professionals, coaches, teachers, parents, etc. I’m in the process of absorbing every bit of knowledge available and the interview process I’ve been going through has been very enlightening. I’m ready to fight for the students.

Scott E. Rodgers:
The pandemic was thrust upon us, and no one had taken the time or expended resources to plan for it. Remote learning was a new, emergent situation, made possible by technologies and infrastructure that have been in place only for the last fifteen years. And we knew there would be hiccups. We knew we did not know everything, and that remote learning was not going to be a perfect substitute for in-class learning. In handling the emergent situation, I would give KSD very high marks for doing what we could do with the resources we had, and within the constraints we could not change. To be clear, many students’ needs were not met well, but I am proud to be in our community, among our teachers and administrators who went well beyond their duties and well beyond regular working hours to give our students the best educational experience in the situation. We knew some households did not have computers and network equipment -- or enough computers for all their school-aged children -- to attend school online. Several plans were hatched to accept and distribute equipment donations. We knew that not all households had broadband Internet access, and there were efforts to reduce those problems by increasing broadband wi-fi around libraries, deploying mobile hotspots, and outright requesting corporate in-kind donations. We knew that in far too many households, school meals were necessary supplements to ensure our children receive adequate nutrition. Churches and charities kicked into overdrive, and so did our schools. Meals were prepared and distributed at convenient sites, and many meals were delivered to homes by our bus drivers along their routes. Even over the summer, we continue to distribute meals and packages to prepare meals. We also knew that many households depend on IDEA to ensure our children receive essential health services and therapies. Our teachers and administrators worked overtime -- as did our healthcare providers -- to assist families in acquiring caretakers and home health services, and to prioritize return-to-school for the children who most depend on IDEA. Finally, our school board followed the law and ultimately did not decide to break the law, and did not decide to ignore public health guidelines, even when those on the board did not like them. Civics should be taught -- and civic duties modeled -- to our students. The best example we can set is to show them that we come together to cooperate for the best interests of our students and our community. Wearing a mask is unpleasant. Being intubated or attending a loved one’s funeral is even more so. And even as this response goes to print, our COVID cases are increasing. Our students need to be in school. And I hope they do not have to wear masks. The best thing we can do to help our children return to school without masks is to have every eligible person vaccinated. That will reduce the likelihood of dangerous variants, slow the population transmission rates, turn the curve downward, and eliminate the need to require children to wear masks. If you are eligible to become vaccinated, and you have no medical contraindications, I beg you, for the benefit of our children, please get yourself vaccinated. It is fast and easy: Visit https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/vaccine for information and locations.

3. What resources have you been looking at and studying in order to prepare for this role?

David Nielsen:
Resources? You can’t study or get resources for this job. If you’re not willing to sit down and listen and ask questions, then resources and studying isn’t going to help. If you don’t have common sense, decency, love of education for children, the resources don’t make up the difference.

Micah Valentine:
[Candidate submitted the same answer from question #2]

Scott E. Rodgers:
1. Washington State School Directors’ Association materials.

2. KSD website’s materials, with particular attention to local policies, reports, strategic plans, and budgets.

3. Washington State Board of
Education’s materials.

4. Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s materials.

5. United States Department of
Education’s materials.

6. IDEA, (the Act, laws construing the Act, funding sources, and methods to measure its effectiveness, gap analysis, and unmet needs).

7. Federal and Washington education law

8. Basic Education Act

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, particularly as is related to public health of children and teens, and social determinants of health that public schools can influence, and social determinants of student achievement that public schools can influence.

10. Children’s Defense Fund’s materials.

11. Southern Poverty Law Center’s materials

4. What are the school district’s top 3 most pressing challenges? How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

David Nielsen:
1. Children who get behind in academics or forgotten in the crowd, and don’t get the help to get them the skills and education to become successful in life.

2. Teaching Math, Science, Writing, History, and the other core elements, so they can compete not just in class, but worldwide when they graduate. If all the spelling is done with texting on the phone, then we have a problem.

3. Make education a lifelong passion. Help children fall in love with learning new skills, explore new avenues in the future to have them succeed and be happy.

Micah Valentine:
I plan on fighting all three of these issues simultaneously and I’m not sure one is more important that the other. One thing every voter can count on is, these three issues will be the core of my four years.

1. No Mask Mandates. Masks should be an option not a mandate.

2. R-90 (sex ed bill). Very basic and age-appropriate sexual education is acceptable, but R-90 takes it way too far and is not age-appropriate. For the greatest part, sexual education is really a family subject.

3. Critical Race Theory. This will never be taught in our schools as long as I’m on the school board. We need to teach love for each other and our country. We need to be accepting to every race, religion, sex, and creed. We need our kids to recognize race and understand that every living soul is equal and has the same divine potential. We should not segregate or divide our kids into oppressed or oppressors. “content of their character, not the color of their skin.”

Scott E. Rodgers:
1. Masks, social distancing, and the threat that a new SARS-COV-2 variant will spread rapidly and lead to additional shutdowns and forced remote learning. The solution to this problem, however, is simple, and the evidence is incontrovertible. And it’s up to the adults in the community. Get vaccinated.

2. Polarization and emerging anti-democratic forces in the community and in broader society, including a failure of critical thinking online, in broadcast media, and in peer interactions, which are distracting educators and administrators from focusing on student achievement. Students need to be equipped to identify and to properly handle scams, frauds, and conspiracy theories. Part of the solution to this is ensuring our existing teachers of content courses have sufficient time and resources to teach civics, social sciences, and hard sciences. Another component could be preparing fact-based responses to the community’s concerns,, and establishing relationships between school boards and a broad spectrum of media to disseminate information -- including methods for the community to communicate with the board.

3. Funding for curricula and activities. We need to get new supplements before the voters and restore funding levels at least to those in the recent past.

Kennewick School District, Director No. 2

1. What role does the school board have in leading our schools to be more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable?

Erin Steinert:
Accessibility and equity are keys to success; I believe giving our students equitable access to the individualized tools needed to thrive and prosper in the classroom is paramount to scholastic achievement. Students also cannot learn if they do not feel safe, so creating a welcoming, accepting environment for all is crucial to their progress. Preparing the next generation for an ever-evolving world means instilling a thirst for knowledge, honing critical-thinking skills, and teaching kindness and empathy. This, in part, means giving students grade-appropriate, accurate history lessons that don’t attempt to whitewash our country’s past. Our students come from such a beautiful, diverse variety of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and family makeups. To ignore this simple fact would be doing a disservice to them and their education. Recognizing those differences is not divisive, it is simply a way to honor the uniqueness of every student, while also remaining sensitive to their various needs.

The school board’s role regarding these topics is to help create policies that ensure our students have that equitable, accessible education, and that will prepare them for the even more diverse world beyond their classrooms. The board needs to set goals that are strategic, progressive, and transparent, and must effectively communicate these policies and goals to the community.

Gabe Galbraith:
I think the school board can lead by example. They can ensure that every student has resources to be successful, create policies, and hold administrators accountable to them, and ensure that curriculum that is taught is not divisive or hateful.

2. How are school districts meeting the needs of students who have been learning remotely during the pandemic?

Erin Steinert:
I don’t need to explain how this last year has been so very difficult for everyone, most especially students. Ensuring that our students remain both physically and mentally healthy, while also providing them with quality, accessible education, has been the biggest struggle our districts have had to face in our lifetimes. I believe our school districts have done a great job, considering the hand that they have been dealt, however this has most assuredly been a tough but necessary learning experience for everyone involved. Timely and effective communication between the school boards and our teachers could be improved, as well as communication with our parents and families.

I am excited to see that online learning will continue to be an option for our students moving forward, including the new online option for 9th-12th graders, Endeavor High School. Not all students learn best the same way; it is much more equitable to provide a variety of educational environments to best suit the needs of each individual.

Gabe Galbraith:
I think the schools have been dealt a difficult challenge with the pandemic and have adapted to the changing guidelines.

According to a recent OSPI survey, 70% of students surveyed have said remote learning is challenging or more difficult than past years.

I believe that tells us we didn’t meet the needs of the students. I believe bringing the students back in full-time and offering remote learning to those who were successful is a great blend of offering students choice in their learning. Providing more structure to the online environment for next year will help those students who choose to stay remote.

3. What resources have you been looking at and studying in order to prepare for this role?

Erin Steinert:
The role of school board director is multi-faceted, and there is indeed a lot to learn! I have been in contact with both local educators and school support staff, as well as current board members, to try to learn all I can about what this position entails. The KSD website is a great informational resource as well. I have been reading up on the district budget, programs that are currently available for our migrant and bilingual families, talking with parents and teachers about IEPs, exploring the WA State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) website, and learning more about the McCleary decision. While I know I cannot learn everything there is to know about becoming a school board director, rest assured that I am doing my homework and listening to the diverse voices in education within our community.

Gabe Galbraith:
I have been the longest declared candidate in either Kennewick School Board race. I have actively participated in the rallies this last fall, been attending school board meetings since January, reviewing policy, meeting with administrators to learn more about their respective departments, and talking with community members regularly.

4. What are the school district’s top 3 most pressing challenges? How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Erin Steinert:
1. Ensuring the health and safety of all of our students needs to be priority #1. Things such as COVID guidelines and precautions, mental health access, and anti-bullying measures would fall under this umbrella. When it comes to the science around COVID-19, I will rely on the consensus of the scientific community to inform any decisions I am able to make surrounding health and safety precautions in our schools. I also recognize that students may deal with a lot of trauma in their lives, both in and out of school, and that the impact of this virus on their mental health is still being understood. Expanding upon existing mental health resources, and creating a safe environment for all students, is vital to their success.

2. Inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) regarding our students’ experiences in their schools and classrooms is another top priority, which I expanded upon a bit in question #1. Recognizing, honoring, and celebrating the wonderful diversity that exists among our students and their families, while also expressing sensitivity to those differences, will foster a productive learning environment for all. This starts with educators and school support staff receiving ongoing training on how best to interact with their unique students.

3. Communication between the board, district, and community needs to improve. We need to make sure our school staff and parents are receiving timely, accurate information regarding any changes that will directly affect them, and to give them ample opportunity and avenues by which to communicate their thoughts and concerns. The intentions of the school board need to be made clear, and the board itself should make strides to become as open and accessible as possible.

Gabe Galbraith:
1. First is students. Prioritizing for the learning gaps that have been missed this last 18 months and addressing mental health/student wellbeing. We need to have established programs for students to catch up and resources for students to talk with others as needed. We also need to address the mask mandate and make it optional.

2. Second is community. I feel like this past year has really caused parents to second guess the school district and school board. There needs to be even more transparency and communication to help build that rapport back.

3. Third is attendance. We have just under 50% of our elementary schools who have under an 85% attendance rate (students with two or more absences a month). It is critical that kids are in school, so we need to dive into these and find the issues kids are missing school and look for solutions.

PASCO

Pasco School District, Director Position 5

1. What role does the school board have in leading our schools to be more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable?

Amy Phillips:
This is a multifaceted question that I could talk for hours on. Here are some examples of what we are doing and how our board works to lead our schools into being welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable.

Welcoming and inclusive: This is of utmost importance to our board. Our board developed 5 Outrageous Outcomes that are constant, concise and clear goals for the district that propel our district toward excellence. Our board recently brought together a group of community members, staff, parents, and most importantly students and ultimately it was the students who changed our 5th outcome to address the social and emotional piece of school that envelops being welcoming and inclusive. This is one example of the work we do to encourage our students and teachers to be welcoming and inclusive.

Diverse: It is critical to recognize and value differences. Children need to recognize the unique contributions to this great tapestry we call life. Our different cultures, races, and religions are just some of the factors that give each of us different experiences, perspectives and thoughts that enrich the lives of our students and community.

Equitable: Equity has been an important topic for our board. We are working on a definition of equity that we can measure every policy by. Equity is helping each student to meet their personal potential. Some kids need more of a boost than others and as a board we have worked to make policies that have ensured that each child gets what they need to do their very best.

In some of our lower income areas and where our students are English Language learners, we have secured state funds for a facility and we offer free pre-school and parental training to help families prepare their students for school. One of the best indicators of whether or not a child graduates is if they start school on-track for graduation. This is just one way we provide the help children attain their personal best.

I will always work to ensure that each of our children gets what they need to be successful.

John Kennedy:
The School Board has a very important role to play in making our School District more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable. First, I support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training for our teachers and District staff. Teachers and staff largely support the idea of receiving additional DEI training. Our educators and staff should be confident and comfortable in how they approach students in the classroom and respond to their learning needs. As teaching professionals, we know that we need to model being lifelong learners and since we all have biases, DEI helps us unpack those biases in order to grow and learn and strive to serve ALL of our students to our best abilities. DEI training is one tool to help our big hearted teachers and staff meet that promise to our students and families.

We also need to expand how we think about DEI. We need to prepare our students for entering a highly competitive global economy. Our students need to be fluent in global diversity. Meaning they need to know diverse cultures and languages. Equity is about tearing down barriers to learning. Dual language learning should be provided for all PSD students regardless of the school they are attending. Additionally, expanding the language offerings of our current dual language system would not only help students be successful in Spanish, Ukrainian or another language but also help students learn a second or third language. With inclusion, we have to make sure we are creating a learning environment that includes everyone. One such example is our high achieving students. Our current HICAP program lacks capacity. It leaves out students who need to be challenged more in the classroom. If we were to increase capacity and expand our HICAP program, we could bring in more students and make them feel more engaged and included.

2. How are school districts meeting the needs of students who have been learning remotely during the pandemic?

Amy Phillips:
One of the surprises of the pandemic is that some of our students do better learning remotely. Most do worse. One of the things our district did was brought in an expert, before school even started last fall, who taught our teachers how to utilize online technology to teach and stretch our kids so that they might learn in the most effective way online.

Every child needs to be able to participate with their teachers and have individual needs met. Kids had daily time that they could converse with their teachers if they needed extra help.

Art, P.E., music, and technology or library time is critical for our elementary aged students. These specialty teachers were able to teach students at specific times during the day.

Ultimately, getting kids back in school was key. As much as we tried to ensure each child was getting what they needed in a remote environment, face to face learning proved to be best for the majority of students. I was instrumental in getting our students back to school while keeping our students and staff safe.

John Kennedy:
COVID-19 has underscored the need for flexibility in instruction including using online models as well as in-person instruction. I believe different learning options should be made available to parents and the Pasco School District is currently doing that. Online instruction, as an option, is being offered to parents and the District has been working on their online learning models with more enhanced formats that can provide a better learning experience than what happened last year such as using Pixel. Whatever online option or options are offered, has to be high quality. The Board has a role to play in this by working with the District in making sure there is a uniform standard for online instruction that addresses the learning needs of students.

Online learning can be particularly beneficial for our students with Individual Learning Plans (IEPs) and 504 Accommodations for families who would like to use that option. Virtual education can provide accommodations that might have been harder to offer when teaching was entirely in-person. We need to keep talking to students and parents about how to address gaps in online education and address their needs including implementing their IEPs and 504 accommodations. Virtual learning can be a great alternative for students with learning accommodations if families choose this option for their child’s specific needs. Plus, we will not lose full time employee money from the State with expanded virtual learning . Those funds will stay within our District with our teachers who know and can best connect with
our families.

3. What resources have you been looking at and studying in order to prepare for this role?

Amy Phillips:
When I first ran, the Tri-City Herald said, “Amy Phillips, wife and mother with a math education degree, is far and away the most prepared challenger this board has ever seen -- for any race. Ever.”

After volunteering in the schools and seeing needs that were not being met, I spent countless hours researching the why’s, when’s, and how’s of overcoming some of the problems I saw when I first decided to run 8 years ago. The Tri-City Herald recognized that preparation and I have never stopped researching and learning since I have taken office. I have been true to my campaign promises of 2013 and 2017 and I will continue to work for our student and families. I will continue to take every opportunity to learn and research the topics of discussion and policies so that we can provide an environment for excellence in education.

John Kennedy:
I have been studying the Pasco School District website including information on the District’s Five Outrageous Outcomes, COVID-19 safety guidelines and back to school announcements. I have also been reviewing the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) scorecard for the Pasco School District and how we are meeting state standards. Additionally I am using the Washington State Board of Education website to learn more about the responsibilities and role of School Board members in Washington State. I am speaking with teachers and former Pasco School District staff as well as watching and attending Pasco School Board meetings and reviewing the recordings and packets to make sure I am informed about the District and our students. Finally, I am continuously reaching out to voters, parents, grandparents asking the hard questions and most importantly listening to their frustrations and concerns. The group that motivates me the most to run are our students. They have a great deal of valuable feedback. We just need a leader in this position willing to invite the voices in.

4. What are the school district’s top 3 most pressing challenges? How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Amy Phillips:
1. Overcoming the lost learning of the past year+ during COVID

2. Hiring excellent teachers and principals that use research-based methods to teach our children.

3. Ensuring that the community’s and parent’s voices are heard and that our community’s tax dollars are transparently spent in the ways that will best help our students become their best.

John Kennedy:
1. Helping students who have fallen behind during mandatory remote learning due to COVID-19 and effective implementation of in-person & remote instructional options for students and families. The District should continue to seek grant funding and offer challenging learning enrichment opportunities both before and after school such as 21st Century Programs and Chess Clubs. Families should be provided resources at home to help students. Making sure our online learning options, as I discussed for question 2, address the instructional needs of our students is also critical in assisting students who have fallen behind this past year.

2. Focusing on students’ social and emotional challenges because of the mandatory remote learning due to COVID-19 and helping all of our students experiencing difficulties with transitioning back to in-person learning in the classroom. Our community, families, School District staff and our students have gone through a major trauma. As an educator, I know students cannot learn unless their basic needs are met. Some students lost family members, some endured sickness, families lost income and there was a constant roller coaster of emotions due to the ongoing nature of this pandemic. Our teachers, too, dug in deep and were committed to their students and their learning during this difficult period. We need a greater systematic outreach program to evaluate both social and emotional support. Staff need to be trained in how to identify students who are struggling socially and emotionally and collaborate with families, community partnership, and District staff to deliver support services and academic interventions. Finally, we have our staff and educators to care for them too and make sure they have what they need in order to continue to do their jobs well.

3. Ensuring that our students are prepared for college and ready for career entry. As a college instructor, I know the challenges and opportunities of a college education. It can open doors if students are prepared to seek those opportunities. One requirement for being successful in college is having mastered core skills such as critical thinking, reading comprehension, written & verbal communication, note-taking, time management, meeting deadlines, and organization. These skills are also essential for success in gaining an entry level job or successfully completing an apprenticeship in the trades. I have seen students with those skills and some students without. District department heads and staff need opportunities to collaborate with our local colleges and state universities to identify the learning gaps with our graduates who are trying to be successful in their college goals as well as work to build relationships with local apprenticeship programs. This will help all students get the opportunity to explore and prepare for their future in the workforce and/or trades.

RICHLAND

Richland School District, Director No. 1

1. What role does the school board have in leading our schools to be more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable?

Audra Byrd:
All students should be provided access to safe, engaging, relevant, and diverse learning opportunities. I strongly advocate for giving district families a stronger voice so that different needs can be brought to light and fulfilled. If I am elected I would like to improve transparency on the board and communication by implementing regular parent surveys, providing weekly email updates to district parents, and encouraging parent feedback at school board meetings. Parents from all ethnic and diverse backgrounds should be invited to provide input on how the district can better support ALL children. The board also needs to create a follow through plan for how and when specific needs will be addressed.

I also propose that we have better transportation access for the Pre-K and Three Rivers Homelink schools, better English Language Learning resources offered in the classrooms, and I want to start a dual language learning program in Richland School District. All three of these things will provide more equity throughout our district.

Danica Garcia:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important concepts in education; they must be addressed if all children are to have an education which is equal. Diversity refers to individual and group/social differences. These include, but are not limited to, psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among any and all individuals, such as race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, economic class, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical ability. The diversity of our students must be respected. Equity is the practice of ensuring that personal or social circumstances are not obstacles to achieving one’s potential, and acknowledging that not all students have the same resources. Equity in action is making sure that the culture, policies and procedures acknowledge that students get the appropriate resources they need to be successful. Inclusion is an active and ongoing process of intentional engagement with all members of a community to increase respect, knowledge, and empathic understanding. Full inclusion is the goal in education. It occurs when students have the resources to succeed and the school climate allows students to be their authentic selves.

The law of Washington State calls for equal education for all children and makes provisions for the powers of our school boards for the management and operation of our school districts. Under the Washington State Constitution, “it is the paramount duty of the state state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex” (Article IX, Section 1). It is, however, our local school boards which have broad discretionary powers to adopt K-12 education policy and the effective, efficient or safe management and operation of the school district.(WSSDA, Serving on Your Local School Board: A foundation for success, P. 8). So while the state determines district funding and creates requirements which must be met, it is ultimately the local school board which allocates the funding and makes sure that state requirements are met.

In conclusion, our local school board has a significant role in making sure that all districts’ students are included by creating policy, allocating funds, and approving curricula in a way which allows ALL students to get what they need. The school board can truly make our schools a more welcoming and inclusive place through their leadership. When students feel included in the classroom and truly welcomed in their classrooms, students’ engagement increases, achievement gaps close, and attendance and graduation rates increase. We put incredible emphasis into student’s physical safety at school, doesn’t it make as much sense to put the effort into making them feel welcomed, included, and help them thrive in school?

Heather Cleary:
Our board has always taken pride in welcoming the public to be involved in our schools. Our schools should provide the same quality of education for all our students no matter the circumstances they come from.

The state has a new requirement that district leaders become trained to better identify student opportunity gaps to make sure we have a rich and equal educational experience for all our students. That should help our district identify ways to make improvements.

2. How are school districts meeting the needs of students who have been learning remotely during the pandemic?

Audra Byrd:
Most students’ needs have not been adequately met this past year. OSPI showed that at one point, over a thousand students had left the district and of those that stayed, almost 300 more left their boundary school to switch to Homelink. Last summer, teachers were given no instruction, no curriculum or help to maneuver remote learning until two weeks before school started. Instead of being pro-active, our school board was barely reactive, and our students have suffered because of it.

Danica Garcia:
This past year has been hard for all our families, teachers, staff, and our community at large. Our whole community- including the school district- had to address a global health pandemic unseen in America in 100 years. Concerns about staff and students health and safety had to be kept foremost in mind, and health regulations had to be followed. Through it all, our district teachers and staff worked tirelessly to reinvent education, provide instruction, support students by feeding them and caring for them through very difficult circumstances. For students, it was tough too. Not only were they faced with learning online which is not an optimal scenario for most students, but they were isolated and missed their school communities. Parents struggled too as they juggled working from home and monitoring student learning from home. Communication from top to bottom was fractured and key information not getting to stakeholders (families, teachers, staff, and community members) in a timely fashion. The issues faced were complex and oftentimes frustrating for those involved. It will be hours of listening needed with impartial mediators to fully understand the full impact of this pandemic and the lessons learned.

What we need to do now is focus on coming together to work on two key issues: 1) how are we going to address the learning gaps created through the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which existed before the pandemic and have been exacerbated by it; 2) how are we going to rebuild trust between our stakeholders in the district and with the board. 3) evaluate our strategic planning and emergency management protocols should a situation arise in the future which causes a serious interruption to student learning.

Heather Cleary:
Fortunately for the Richland School District, we had invested prior to the pandemic in technology infrastructure, so we were better prepared than many other districts throughout our state once the pandemic began. We did have to purchase additional equipment, such as additional hotspots and classroom cameras, but we had a system in place.

From there we created an entirely new online school, now named Pacific Crest Online Academy, which has had a successful first year. We expanded our Homelink Program to accommodate additional students. We used our Communities in Schools program to keep engaged with families who faced difficulties. We provided weekly meals to families. The district provided in school help for some students who struggled.

Teachers have done a remarkable job in trying to connect and engage their students with learning in a very difficult environment. The Richland School District has done everything we could to keep our students engaged.

We were one of the few school districts who got all their students back in school this spring M-F. This summer we have offered a robust free summer school program to help students connect back with schools and continue their learning.

3. What resources have you been looking at and studying in order to prepare for this role?

Audra Byrd:
To prepare for this role on school board, I have been attending school board meetings online and in person, I have been interviewing the individual school board members to ask them about different issues the school district deals with, and I have been meeting and emailing with as many district families as I possibly can to help give them voice and help me better understand the complex needs of all of our students. I also have been researching our district stats, OSPI numbers, our budget, and our trends the past ten years to better understand where growth is needed.

Danica Garcia:
I have made a concerted effort to prepare for this role. This has included:

• Active involvement with our district schools over the past seven years through volunteering my time in classrooms, coaching destination imagination, serving on PTO committees and board, and as representing district families as the parent representative on district level ESL and DEI committees.

• Meeting with parents, teachers, distrcit administrators, union leadership, and key community partners to understand issues facing our district and opportunities for growth.

• Researching our school districts performance using data reported to OSPI and US Department of Education

• Reviewing the Road to Recovery to understand the ESSR funding and how it will be applied to the district

• Reviewing OSPI’s documentation on school reopening

• Studying legislation on the key relevant educational topics

• Reading the Washington State School Directors guidance for new school directors.

• Attending RSD Board meetings and working group sessions

• Following social media feeds related to school directors and district administration

• Having prior background which includes working with underserved and marginalized populations, high capacity programs, mediation, leadership training, and education policy.

Heather Cleary:
I have been a member of the Richland School Board for the past 16 years and a volunteer in the RSD for 30 years. I bring historical knowledge and experience to the board and this position.

Things constantly are changing for schools. To keep abreast of changes I read news articles, online news, and pay attention to what is happening at the state level through our school directors association to stay prepared.

4. What are the school district’s top 3 most pressing challenges? How would you address them? (Number 1 is the top priority)

Audra Byrd:
1. Almost half of our students were not meeting grade level and this was exacerbated by the chaos of covid. I will provide leadership in helping our RSD students and staff heal from the physical, mental, and educational trials of Covid-19. I will work to establish an environment where all students get the services, care, and support they need to thrive and grow by:

1) Advocating for families to have their educational preferences heard and honored;

2) Building parent/teacher/student relationships by effectively working with the superintendent and her staff;

3) Advocating for SpEd, English Language Learning, and mental health resources;

4) Supporting all learning environments including Homelink, Delta, Quest, Richland Virtual School, Rivers Edge, Worksource, Technical programs, Behavioral (BESST) program, Early Learning Preschool, Art, Music, PE, Library, and more.

2. Building trust by improving communication and transparency. I would address this by better acknowledging parental input at school board meetings, in emails, and in person. I would also like to institute a weekly email out to parents with information, updates and answers to previous questions. I would also improve transparency by encouraging open negotiations with the Teachers’ Union so that parents better understand how their tax dollars are being spent to best help their students. This will also help teachers to be better represented.

3. Improving school choice options for lifelong career readiness. I will address this by helping our district offer more technical career-readiness classes at our secondary schools which could include: personal finance, auto mechanics, electrical technology, plumbing, carpentry, information technology, childcare essentials, medical prep, etc.. I would also advocate for more school choices by building a dual language program, better supporting our current alternative learning programs, and establishing individual plans with ALL students to help them pro-actively map out their educational goals for better long term career success.

Danica Garcia:
1. Academic Improvement: Across the district prior to COVID only 60% of our students are meeting reading standards, 50% meeting math standards, and 40% meeting science standards. Our past 18 months have likely only exacerbated this gap, especially for our students most at risk. We must act NOW to make sure our students get an equitable balanced education and leave our schools college and career ready! We need to support our students they need to be successful by:

a) increasing STEAM education

b) strengthening basic literacy education and family literacy support

c) developing dual language programs

d) strengthening ESL, Special education, and HiCap options

e) increasing certificated teachers and paraprofessionals in high-need areas, such as ESL and special education.

f) encouraging both college AND career readiness options, including options for the trades.

Funding programs so that students have what they need to thrive.

2. Creating a school climate which fosters the social/emotional well being of students. Students social and emotional well-being is just as important as their academic success. This must include:

a) Providing mental health support for students with increased in-building counselors

b) Developing policies which ensure that ALL students are welcome and included in schools.

c) Increasing support services for students in need through partnerships with Community

d) Organizations (Boys and Girls Club, Communities In Schools, etc.)

e) Strengthening anti-bullying education and outreach.

3. Repairing trust between stakeholders through improved communication by

a)Increased involvement of key stakeholders in decision making process

b)Providing clear change management communication from the board to district stakeholders

c)Recording board meetings and high-interest community meetings so more stakeholders receive timely communication and have the opportunity to provide input.

d)Regular confidential listening session with a third party who can provide input on stakeholder concerns.

e)Creating liaison positions with community members to increase representation and facilitate two-way communication.

As a leader, I will bring my experience and most importantly my whole hearted desire to serve our students and listen to our community. We must work together as a community- families, teachers, schools staff, administrators, community partners, and the community at large- to serve students. It’s past time that we pull together as a community to give our students not only the high-quality education that they deserve, but one that is just, truly equal, and adequately prepares them for their future. Our children deserve a bright future and it’s past time to work together for their benefit.

Heather Cleary:
1. Our most pressing challenge is developing a strategic plan. It has been in the works for awhile, but got sidelined by the pandemic when we couldn’t meet with the public in large groups.

2. Next I would say continuing our work on meeting the Special Education Priority Goals. This is very important work that again was halted by the pandemic.

3. Third I would say continuing the districts great work on supporting students
mental health

The following candidates did not respond to the questionnaire:

KENNEWICK

Kennewick City Council Position 1: Jacob Finkbeiner

Kennewick City Council Position 3: John Trumbo

Kennewick City Council Position 4: Ken Short, Bill McKay

Kennewick School District Director 1: Gary Bullert

Kennewick School District Director 2: James Langford

PASCO

Pasco City Council Pos. 3: Steven X. Martinez

Pasco School District Director Pos. 5: Michelle Andres

RICHLAND

Richland City Council Position 1: Bob Thompson, Jhoanna Jones