Clash of styles in Tenino mayor race

Tenino has had a rough ride for the past few years, and voters are looking for a mayor who can help the town heal and move forward. The city’s necessary but expensive sewer project and the recent firing of a popular police chief are at the heart of turmoil.

The sewer project was launched just before the recession hit. It replaced cesspools and ancient septic tanks so that business and residential areas could grow. But the recession delayed growth, causing higher than predicted sewer costs for Tenino residents, many of whom have low incomes.

Current mayor Bret Brodersen, 39, has been methodically cleaning up the city’s financial messes. Brodersen grew up in Sedro Woolley, has a degree in accounting, and works for the state government’s Office of Financial Management.

Brodersen set off a public protest this year by firing the popular police chief for working too many hours; as a retired Olympia officer, the chief was limited in how long he could work and still collect his pension.

The former chief didn’t earn more pay for extra hours, but the city had to reimburse the state Department of Retirement Systems about $86,000 for the retirement benefits paid to the chief that he should not have received.

Challenger Wayne Fournier, 35, is a Tenino native, a firefighter in Aberdeen and current Tenino City Council member. He has deep roots in Tenino, including an ancestor who was a police chief. His outgoing, affable style is a sharp contrast to Broderson’s quiet, methodical approach.

Fournier says Brodersen doesn’t communicate well and has been slow to use social media as a tool to notify the public of pending city issues and votes.

Certainly Brodersen should have at least informed the City Council before he fired the police chief. But it’s not clear that Fournier has the stomach to make tough budgeting and personnel decisions that the incumbent has been making.

Brodersen appears to have a better grasp of solutions; he noted the sewer has facilitated recent apartment and housing projects that are finally expanding the tax base.

Fournier agrees there needs to be more commerce and suggests the future is in expanded, local agricultural efforts. He wants to help area farmers sell their products.

Whoever voters choose, the city leaders need public support but also a steady, impartial hand managing the city. Fournier might be a better unifier; Brodersen is more likely to be decisive as a manager.

That’s the tough choice we see for voters.

Given the financial challenges of the city, we give a slight edge to Brodersen.

TENINO COUNCIL RACE:

One race for Tenino City Council is also contested. Candidates are ex-mayor Ken Jones, who is retired, and Susan Copeland, who works in juvenile corrections.

Jones, 73, says Brodersen is doing a good job straightening out city finances after the previous administration. Jones said the sewer project was a costly but necessary investment; his only wish is that city-hired engineering consultants had looked more carefully at alternatives.

Copeland, 45, out-polled Jones easily in the primary and supports Fournier. She says Fournier is better suited to bringing people together.

Her own priorities are public safety and ending the recent turmoil.

Both candidates are civic minded and ought to do well in a difficult time.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Clash of styles in Tenino mayor race."