Four vie for Tumwater Council

The Olympian • Published February 27, 2009

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Four candidates have applied for the open seat on the Tumwater City Council.

The candidates are Ed Hildreth, a longtime member and former chairman of the Tumwater Planning Commission; Betsy Murphy, former board member of the Lacey and Olympia chambers of commerce; Ryan Nabors, vice chairman of the legislative committee of the state chapter of Disabled American Veterans; and Tom Oliva, founder of Friends of the Old Brewhouse.

Karen Valenzuela resigned from the council Feb. 17 after Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed her to the Thurston County Commission. Valenzuela took her oath of office last week.

The application deadline was 5 p.m. Thursday.

The council will interview the candidates during a special meeting March 7. It will vote to make an appointment March 17; the new council member will be sworn in immediately following the appointment. Mayor Ralph Osgood would break a tie vote.

The four-year term for position 5 will expire this year, and all of the candidates said they'd run for the office if appointed.

Hildreth, who co-owns Sound Janitorial Supply and has lived in the area for 26 years, identified his three top priorities if appointed as the enhancing the Tumwater Town Center, a balanced budget and the environment.

Murphy, an elder law care coordinator for the law firm McClanahan Moody PLLC who has lived in the area for nearly four years, identified her top priorities as street and sidewalk repair, streamlining the permitting process for new building, and fiscal responsibility.

Nabors, who has lived in the area since 2006, identified sustainable development, attracting community activities to the town center and community planning as his top priorities.

Oliva, who works for the state Parks and Recreation Commission and has lived in the area for thirteen years, identified his priorities as the city budget, rebuilding the "Tumwater brand" and developing community.