Baxter To Challenge Gobel For Mayor

WAITSBURG - For the second year in a row, Waitsburg residents will have a choice of mayoral candidates in their annual elections for city government next month.

Waitsburg carpenter, soccer coach and former council member Bart Baxter told the Times earlier this week he is running for the position now held by first-term Mayor Walt Gobel.

During a caucus meeting at Deanne and Larry Johnson's house on Monday night, Gobel and all current city council members were nominated again as "Truth & Trust" candidates.

They have all agreed to run for another one-year term, saying they want to continue looking after the city's infrastructure, improving its relations with key government agencies and promoting tourism.

Prospective candidates have until 4 p.m. on Thursday to submit their names for the April 4 elec- tions. Post marks are not ac- cepted. The pa- p e rwo r k needs to be into the city on March 10, city clerk Randy Hinchliffe said.

Under their unique Territorial Charter, Waitsburg citizens elect their mayor and council every year.

Baxter said he is ready to run for mayor on a platform of youth, community, historic preservation and tourism promo- tion, suggesting Waitsburg needs someone who is proactive in all these areas to keep the town from stagnating like other small rural cities.

"We need to start thinking outside the box," said Baxter, who served a one-year term on the city council (2009- 2010) and has been a member of the Planning Commission since 2008.

"We need to be proactive," he said. "If not, nothing will get done."

Baxter, who grew up in the successful tourist town of LaConner in western Washington and also has family roots in the Touchet Valley, said the town can do a lot more to develop its potential as a tourism destination with opportunities for businesses, service organizations and youth.

For instance, the city could hire a full-time manager for regular events at the Fairgrounds, bringing attractions ranging from rodeos and demo derbies to softball tournaments and lawnmower races, Baxter proposed.

" Right now, the Fairgrounds (a city asset) is in the red," he said, saying a promotions manager could arrange for at least 20 events in town each year. "There is no reason why we can't promote event after event after event. That would give people an incentive to open a business downtown and create jobs."

Baxter's other ideas to strengthen Waitsburg as a travel destination include the renovation of the Grange Hall to hold indoor events, the conversion of some nine rooms above City Hall and the Weller Library into lodging facilities, the creation of an RV park at the old Wait's Mill site, facilitate the setup of a small working flour mill and bread company, and create a cycling event unique to Waitsburg.

" Why not?" he said. "Why do we have to go to Walla Walla for a crab crack? Why not have one here?"

Baxter, who moved to Waitsburg five years ago to be closer to his parents, Bert and Bitzi Baxter, said he has been community-minded since he arrived, donating time and materials to a number of local causes and projects, including the roof of the Bruce Mansion carriage house, the Preston Park playground (with council members Leroy Cunningham and Ken Lenhard), the WP Tigers soccer program and the Paint The Town initiative. He serves on the advisory board for the BMX track and the board of Rural Green Youth Enterprises.

Baxter will be running against an incumbent mayor who told the caucus, attended by about 20 people Monday, that the city is headed in the right direction, working to keep its streets, sewer and other assets in good shape while making sure the city is careful with hard-earned tax payer dollars.

Gobel was praised at the caucus for presiding over challenging public meetings in a fair, even-handed and cool-headed manner and for improving the city's external relations with other government agencies that are a resource to the community.

"I thought you all did a great job moving this (firstyear platform) forward," caucus president and former councilman Larry Johnson told Gobel and three of the council members present.

Gobel applauded the council for working well together to get things done.

"We've had our bumps, but the council has stuck together," he said. "Things are looking good for Waitsburg. We followed through on our platform."

That platform included unity, consensus, healthy and productive intra-government relations, tourism promotion and economic development, efficient government, infrastructure maintenance and community involvement.

Two council members, Scott Nettles and Kevin House, could not attend the caucus, but councilman Marty Dunn said, "I think we did good last year" for a group that came together on the council for the first time.

"It's a five-man team," he said.

Councilman Karl Newell agreed.

"We've been feeling our way, trying to do what's best for the city," he said.

No other Waitsburg residents had signed up as mayoral or council candidates by the time of this newspaper's deadline.