Two council seats being contested in Pullman

PULLMAN — Pullman voters will have their choice of incumbents, one former city councilor and one political newcomer when they fill out their ballots this year.

Four-term Mayor Glenn Johnson is running unopposed for what he said will be his final term in office. Pullman City Councilors Nathan Weller and Pat Wright are also running unopposed for their Ward 2 and Ward 3 seats, respectively.

In the Ward 1 race, incumbent Ann Parks faces a challenge from political newbie Chris Johnson. The council’s at-large seat is also being contested, as incumbent Eileen Macoll squares off against former councilor Francis Benjamin.

Macoll is seeking a second full term after being elected to a partial term in 2013 and a four-year term in 2015.

“This is a very exciting time to be in Pullman, with a growing population, a growing university and growing (businesses),” she said. “But there’s still a lot that needs to be done. There’s a lot to tend to with a growing community.”

Among the challenges facing Pullman, Macoll said, is the continued availability of potable water. As a member of the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee, she noted that efforts are underway to secure funding for a water augmentation or storage project.

Sustainable development in general and the supply of affordable housing are also concerns, she said. While she doesn’t have specific proposals, she’d like the city to encourage “multi-generational” housing that provides options for students, young families and seniors alike.

“We’re in the process of recruiting an economic development director, and I hope that will be a focus,” Macoll said.

With a population approaching 35,000 — an increase of 16 percent since 2010 — she feels it’s time for Pullman to modernize some of its past practices. For example, she’s encouraging the city to update its building codes to give officials greater authority to force reluctant property owners to address unsightly and abandoned buildings.

“I’m hearing about problems in every corner of the city,” Macoll said during a recent council meeting. “I’m hoping we can get a few more tools to address citizen concerns.”

In some ways, Macoll sees herself as “a squeaky wheel” on the council who will ask questions and push for new approaches to running the city.

“I think I’ve proven I can be effective, I reach out to people and I’m not afraid to be assertive,” she said. “I will speak up for families and seniors.”

Benjamin was on the council for 12 years, representing Ward 1. However, he sees the at-large seat as being a better fit, given his involvement in various communitywide organizations.

Chief among those is Pullman 2040, of which he is co-chairman. Through community surveys and interactions, the group has tried to develop a collective vision of the city’s future and identify projects to achieve that goal.

“That work lends itself to focusing on Pullman as a whole,” Benjamin said. “I’ve been very engaged in identifying the needs and frustrations in the community, and what people want for the future. I want to keep the city council focused on that visioning process.”

A particular skill set he brings to the council, he said, is his emphasis on collaborative efforts.

“I spend a lot of time getting people around the table,” Benjamin said. “I believe the best solutions come from working together.”

The best solutions are also the ones that elevate or benefit the largest number of people, he said. The new city hall, for example, won’t simply provide office space for city staff; it will provide space for seniors and for youth sports.

“That will lead to multi-generational connections,” he said. “If all we did was build a new city hall, Pullman would have missed out on an incredible opportunity.”

Although he’s “disappointed” the construction bids for the new facility came in substantially higher than estimated, Benjamin still feels the investment is warranted.

“It’s an incredible bargain for what we’re getting, even with the higher price tag,” he said.

In the Ward 1 race, Parks is running for a second four-year term.

“I’ve really enjoyed being on the council and hope to continue working on the things I’ve been a part of,” she said. “As a council member, I like that I can help residents by connecting them with the city staff who can address their concerns.”

Serving on the council also gives her a broader perspective on what Pullman residents want for the future.

“It keeps me open, not just to my own take on what’s going on in the city, but to other views,” she said.

If there’s a frustration to the job, Parks said, it’s that people often assume the council has more power than it actually does. In recent months, for example, concerns have been expressed about some of the new mixed-use developments in and around the downtown business district. While Parks shares some of those concerns, she noted that the council can’t arbitrarily block projects from moving forward.

“People think we can write ordinances or create laws, but all we can do is provide feedback on what we’re hearing to the city staff and ask them to take action,” she said. “There’s a process. People want us to take action, but the appropriate action is to follow the process. It can be frustrating, but we don’t have a say (on development proposals) until they actually come before us.”

That said, Parks places a high priority on responsible growth. She wants the city to update its comprehensive plan, and would like to find ways to encourage development that fulfills the community’s vision for its future, rather than leave the matter entirely to the free market.

“Something I’d like to focus on is how we (provide more clarity) about the type of projects we’re interested in,” she said.

Given her 26 years in the community and extensive volunteer service — including the United Way of Pullman board and Neill Public Library Board — Parks thinks she’s the best choice for voters.

“I have a collaborative approach and want to work with city officials to achieve our goals,” she said. “I feel I have the experience, knowledge and skills to continue making Pullman a better place to live.”

Parks’ opponent in the race, Chris Johnson, is the only Pullman council candidate without prior elected experience. However, he believes his prior work experience gives him the insights needed to do the job effectively.

That work history includes three months as interim finance director for the city of Lynnwood, Wash.; seven years at the Port of Anacortes, including nearly three years as deputy executive director and chief financial officer; and almost nine years with the Washington State Auditor’s Office.

“As an auditor we monitored compliance with open meeting and public records requirements, so I’m very familiar with those laws,” Johnson said. “At Anacortes, I gave presentations to the city council, and in Lynnwood I was ex officio treasurer of the public facilities district, so I’ve been involved with city government.”

Johnson now serves as finance director for Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences. He’s lived in Pullman since 2015.

While he believes the council is doing a good job overall, he feels there’s a tendency to defer to the city staff too much. For example, the council recently agreed to use more than $1 million in cash reserves to pay for some unanticipated costs on the new city hall project.

“I would not have voted for that,” Johnson said. “We have multiple flooding events in town that haven’t been addressed, but we’re using reserves for the city hall? I think that’s shortsighted.”

At a minimum, he said, a more robust public process should have been used to gather input before the change was approved.

“They had to go to the public to approve the (initial) construction bond,” he said. “So why not go back to them and say, ‘Conditions have changed, what do you think we should do?’ It feels like things move through based on the recommendation of the city staff, but the council needs to drive that. I think they have more say than what they acknowledged.”

Johnson’s top issues include accountability and transparency, public safety, infrastructure improvement and strengthening city development standards.

“I think I can help the city government be better than it is today,” he said. “I don’t think I have all the answers, but I think the public does.”

Ballots for the Nov. 5 election will be mailed to voters Oct. 18.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.

Name: Francis Benjamin

Office seeking: Pullman City Council 6 at-large seat

Age: 58

Education: Electrical engineering degree, University of Idaho; psychology degree and master’s in political science, Washington State University; master’s in theological studies, College of Ministry Training

Work experience: Information systems coordinator, Washington State University Department of Psychology

Prior political experience: Previously served three terms on council before losing to Ann Parks in 2015

How long lived in area: 35-plus years

Family: Married, three kids, one grandchild

Website: www.iamfrancisbenjamin.com

Name: Eileen Macoll

Office seeking: Pullman City Council 6 at-large seat

Age: 63

Education: Communications degree, Washington State University

Work experience: Horticulture and garden specialist at ACE Hardware until it closed; previously worked for WSU Publications, USDA Agricultural Research Service and as a real estate sales associate

Prior political experience: Incumbent; elected to a partial term in 2013 and to a four-year term in 2015.

How long lived in area: 40-plus years

Family: Married

Website: NA

Name: Chris Johnson

Office seeking: Pullman City Council 4 Ward 1 seat

Age: 50

Education: German degree, Brigham Young University; master’s in business administration, Western Washington University

Work experience: Chief Financial Officer, Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences; previously served as interim finance director for the city of Lynnwood, Wash., deputy executive director for the Port of Anacortes and regional audit manager for the Washington State Auditor’s Office

Prior political experience: None

How long lived in area: Since 2015

Family: Married, four children

Website: www.chrisjohnsonpw1.com

Name: Ann Parks

Office seeking: Pullman City Council 4 Ward 1 seat

Age: 55

Education: Business administration degree, Ferris State University

Work experience: Licensed insurance representative ad claims specialist, Dave Christy State Farm Insurance; previous experience in retail industry

Prior political experience: Incumbent, seeking second term

How long lived in area: 26 years

Family: Married, two grown children

Website: www.electannparks.com