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Since Liberty Lake incorporated as a city back in 2001, there have been a few shifts on the City Council roster. Only three of the original council members remain from the inaugural governing board.
Over at the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District – a utility whose roots go back to 1973 – change has occurred less often.
If you ask Darlene McHenry, Josh Beckett, Cristella Kaminskas and Jason Adelman, the time has arrived for another transition.
Last week, McHenry, a challenger to longtime LLSWD Commissioner Frank Boyle and Adelman, campaigning against incumbent Council Member Odin Langford joined Beckett and Kaminskas – nominees for the council position vacated by Neal Olander – at a candidate forum sponsored by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Sept. 17 event was held at the LLSWD Denny Ashlock Building with a crowd of around 30 in attendance.
The format for the evening encouraged concise answers addressing written questions from the audience. Equally short summations regarding background, qualifications and reasons for seeking office provided a general overview of each candidate. Adelman began by describing how he was impressed with “the strong sense of community” in Liberty Lake after moving to the area from Minnesota.
“It made us feel like we were at home,” he said.
Langford, a retired police captain, has served on the City Council since October 2007 when he was appointed to replace Joanna Klegin who moved to Texas. He lost a bid against Klegin for a council seat in 2003 by three votes.
“Government was meant to be built with your involvement,” Langford said in his opening statement. “I see citizens as advisors to what we’re doing. I want to serve this community for the next four years.”
Kaminskas, a manager at KeyTronic, said her business experience would transfer effectively to the responsibilities of a council member. She expressed concern that residents of Liberty Lake often leave town on weekends or when dining out and pledged to “make sure that our money is spent here.”
Beckett moved to Liberty Lake from the Puget Sound area three years ago. He said his decision to run was based on a goal to become actively involved in how local government operates.
“Rather than complaining, I thought I would add my ideas to help influence the direction of the city,” he said.
Boyle, a retired postal worker, emphasized his experience with LLSWD in 18 years as a commissioner. He described how the district is “at the height of technology as far as treatment is concerned” and called attention to the strides made by the utility in environmental stewardship in protecting resources like the Spokane River.
“We’ve been the leader in introducing phosphate bans,” he said.
McHenry, who has had family in the Liberty Lake area since the 1940s and moved here from the Seattle area four years ago, said she hoped to maintain and develop connections with government entities while continuing the emphasis on environmental protection.
“I have a strong interest in contributing to the well-being of the community,” she said.
Each council candidate tackled the issue of the emerging River District community on the north side of Liberty Lake, a 650-acre development that has drawn concern from the city over issues like signage, building height and commercial zoning.
Beckett said he had questions about the specific area plan for the River District, in particular the notion of buildings that might scale up to 100 feet. He pointed to the recent construction of a Walgreen’s store near the entrance of the city off Interstate 90 that he said provided an example of how a retail site “can shape the aesthetics of Liberty Lake.”
Kaminskas said it would be important for the city to offer incentives to prospective commercial ventures as a way “to differentiate the community from the competition.” Liberty Lake lost a bid to bring outdoor retailer Cabela’s to the city several years ago after the national chain opted to build a store across the border in North Idaho.
“We need to have a positive image for business,” Kaminskas said.
In responding to a question about uniting Liberty Lake to include residents who live outside city boundaries around the actual lake, Langford pointed out that certain municipal boards already include representation from the neighborhood.
“You’re not going to make everyone happy,” he said. “Our first interest is to represent the people who live inside Liberty Lake.”
Adelman countered by saying that decisions made by the city “affect everyone around us.” He advocated “the need to calm tempers” and efforts by Liberty Lake Mayor Wendy Van Orman “in working with residents around the lake.”
While McHenry acknowledged there would be a steep learning curve in taking over the duties of a commissioner, she emphasized her experience as a teacher and lecturer as well as her involvement with the Association of Washington Cities and Transportation Improvement Board, where she served as a board member.
“I think I bring a number of strengths to this position,” McHenry said.
Boyle underscored his history with a district that “keeps up with technology and keeps rates at a reasonable level” as well as his relationship with representatives from groups like Spokane County and the Department of Ecology.
“I can talk to these people about the issues that concern the Liberty Lake Community,” he said.
The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce will host a community forum featuring candidates for the Spokane Valley City Council on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at the CenterPlace Regional Events Center starting at 7 p.m.
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By
Craig Howard
