Garfield mayor in 3-way battle

Garth Meyer | May 25, 20170

A three-person race is on for mayor in Garfield, including an incumbent, the eight-year mayor he replaced and a rookie.

Mayor Ray McCown seeks re-election to his second term of his current mayorship, a third chapter after he served as mayor from 1972-1988, followed by another term in the early 2000s.

Jarrod Pfaff served from 2005 to 2013, and has decided to run again.

The three candidates will face off first in the Aug. 1 state primary.

“I just figure basically things can be done better,” stated Pfaff, a University of Idaho graduate who works in ag science technology for the USDA in Pullman.

“There doesn’t seem to be much effort on the sewer issue.

No planning on that or anything.

Just a day at a time.” The sewer matter in Garfield refers to a Washington State Department of Ecology discharge violation given to the town in 2014.

The town then entered into an agreement under order by the Department of Ecology (DOE) with prescriptive criteria – related to operations and maintenance – to bring the plant into compliance.

Pfaff decided to run again after considering it for some time.

“I’ve been pondering it all year,” he said.

What compels him? “I didn’t have DOE on my butt, I worked with them,” he said.

“They were very easy to get along with.” Pfaff indicated that a key issue, the sewer plant’s inflow and infiltration leaks, has not been addressed since he left as mayor.

“Not a single one has been fixed yet,” he said.

“I can see them, none have been dug up yet.” He refers to areas in underground pipes which allow groundwater to enter the sewer collection grid and make its way into the wastewater treatment plant.

Pfaff moved to Garfield as a permanent resident in 1996 after growing up visiting his father on weekends in Garfield and going to school in Coeur d’Alene.

When did he get interested in politics? “I really didn’t care until the last time Ray was mayor,” Pfaff said.

Looking back at his two terms, he named the toughest part as balancing the budget.

“You can’t do it all in one year,” he said.

“You have to plan.

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They’re spending more now than they’re bringing in.” “I think the root of the problem the town is having is the current mayor,” Pfaff said.

The town’s DOE matters are expected to be an issue in the campaign.

“Quit being so stubborn and not do what the state tells you to do,” Pfaff said.

“It (the DOE issue) is an ongoing thing that didn’t need to happen.” After an inspection in Garfield in 2014, a DOE discharge violation regarding ammonia and fecal coliform limits was issued, followed by another notice of violation three months later.

The Garfield violations were in the realm of effluent limits, which are the levels of discharge tolerable without harming aquatic life.

In 2016, the town was given a 90-day mandate to get the treatment back in line with its state permit.

The town has since hired a new Level II Operator for the plant.

Another matter of controversy is the town’s garbage truck.

One of the final acts for Pfaff nearing the end of his term Dec. 31, 2013, was the purchase of a 2002 Mack that Pfaff and former town councilman Tim Southern and Public Works Superintendent Robby Johnson drove up to Washington from Utah.

McCown began his current term railing against the purchase, saying the truck was unnecessary.

It soon ran into problems in retro-fitting its automated “Curatto-Can” device on the front.

The garbage truck is now in use in the town.

“I think that has worked out well,” said Pfaff.

The incumbent Ray McCown seeks the second term of his third stint as mayor.

“All kinds of competition,” he said of the candidates.

His message to voters is to carry forward the work that has been done in the past four years.

“To continue to try to get where we were a few years ago,” he said.

“To get the sewer plant back to where it’s doing its job.

All this started in 2010, under a different administration.” The sewer plant is now at a crossroads, which also motivates McCown to run for re-election.

“That plant will be paid off in three years.

Then we’ll be deciding what’s going to happen for the next 25 years,” he said.

McCown noted that the town could build a lagoon system with pasture, acquiring 30 acres of accessible land near the plant.

“We may not have to discharge anything into the river at all,” he said.

He suggested a key decision by Pfaff played a role in the DOE’s actions.

“You look at all the violations, they started in 2010,” McCown said.

“The minute Pfaff fired (former public works supervisor) Dave Ulrich, they just continued to get worse.” What about Pfaff’s charge against McCown for lack of planning? “We haven’t been able to plan anything because we’ve been too damn busy getting in compliance with the DOE,” said McCown.

The mayor was the subject of a recall petition last year which was signed by, among others, Pfaff-era town councilors Southern and Sharon Schnebly.

Whitman County Superior Court Judge David Frazier ruled the recall effort was not legally sufficient to move forward.

The rookie Terry Linderman’s first political campaign comes 14 years after she moved to Garfield from Pullman.

She recently bought a house inside town limits and has decided to run after following the actions of Mayor McCown.

“To help the community and hopefully bring more people into our community and make it a better community,” she said for her reasons to seek the office.

Among her goals are the sewer plant and getting more support for the fire department.

“Other activities in the park, bringing the community together,” Linderman said.

“Make it a better place.

Music in the park.

To get surrounding areas into our community.” For the sewer plant she sees a certain opportunity while looking to learn more.

“I think there’s some expenses that can be cut, big time,” said Linderman.

“I don’t want to say anything further right now.

I want to research it more first to see if it will work and stuff.” Linderman grew up in Moscow, and for the past five years she has worked in the office at Module Master, in Moscow, a company which rebuilds electronic car parts.

What does Linderman think of last year’s petition to recall McCown? “It should’ve happened,” she said.

“I feel I can do a better job.”