Candidate Profile: Linda Kadlec, incumbent for City of Ritzville mayor

The race for mayor for the City of Ritzville is an odd one. Incumbent mayor Linda Kadlec is a write-in candidate.

When the filing period was open, she signed on to run for a second term as mayor. When two other candidates filed, she opted to withdraw from the race.

The next twist came when one of the candidates withdrew as well. Kadlec then decided she had made a mistake and wanted to seek re-election.

The current mayor is a 20-year veteran of city hall, having served 16 years as a city council member before being elected mayor.

Kadlec, 67, attended high school in Richland and then went on to beauty school. She owned Linda’s Hair Salon downtown and continues to serve her customers, while semi-retired.

She and her husband, Tom, have two sons. Kadlec has lived in Ritzville for 47 years.

As mayor, Kadlec was instrumental in earning the Tree City USA award for the city. She has been honored as grand marshal during the community parade and has won the chamber’s Christmas decorating contest award with her business.

The following is her candidate statement:

“Reality and economic times are playing a high role in my thinking and planning for Ritzville’s future. Water issues have been put on the back burner for many years now – the “fixes” were expensive back then – but far more so now. I would support a new well and new water distribution lines – people don’t realize that 19 percent of Ritzville’s water supply is leaking from these antiquated water lines. We are now in the process of exploring the rehabilitation of a few of our existing wells and if that is not feasible, then we need to build a new one. Now is the time – we have two loans available to us – it will not get any cheaper. If we choose to overlook this water issue, we will have a crisis far exceeding our sewage treatment plant problems. Water needs to be No. 1 priority in Ritzville’s future.

“Economic growth is also of great importance to our future. We have been and are exploring many avenues in this area. I plan to be very pro-active on this issue. I realize the importance of bringing small businesses or industry to Ritzville. We are affiliated with “ACDC,” a county organization, made up of communities in Adams County. Their main purpose is to promote economic growth.

“I have had a very informative visit with the Mayor of Warden. This community is in the process of building a canola plant in their community and I received some valuable pointers in attracting small industry.

“Some of our accomplishments during these past four years include: Sewer lagoon project, this project has spanned the past ten years.

“Just after I took office I traveled to Olympia with my City Clerk and City Council members to lobby our state representatives and senators for the one million dollar grant funding we received to help finance the failed lagoon system. Papi system, landing system at our airport. Grade school/High school restructuring and resurfacing road project, Wellsandt Road. Sidewalk project – adjacent to golf course on Division Street – these projects were mostly funded by grants. City appropriated funds for the new informational and directional signs sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Skateboard park, located next to playground, across from the Little League field. Handicap accessibility for City Park, concrete ramp. Senior Citizen Center – the city donates $1,500 yearly to their operations budget. This has been a project of mine that I instigated some ten years ago when I was on City Council.

“Grant funded projects in the process: walking and bike path along Weber Avenue. Airport plan – to be a model for the state of Washington.

“It has also been a project of mine to keep the trees in Pioneer Plaza lit up throughout the year.

“We have important issues at stake right now for Ritzville’s future and I want the opportunity to see them through and I need your “write in vote” to do so.”

Why did you first seek a city council seat 20 years ago?

“I felt like I wanted to give back to my community. I felt there were plenty of opportunities to accomplish things. I felt like it was a good element of volunteerism.”

After 16 years you decided to become mayor. Why did you choose that path?

“I felt that 16 years being on the city council I had the experience to do it. I felt like there were opportunities, things I wanted to do for my community. I felt 16 years on the council certainly qualified me to move into a mayor’s role.”

How has the 20-year experience been?

“It has been challenging. It has been rewarding. Sometimes it’s disappointing. But I think it’s an opportunity I’ll never be sorry I took. I’m happy I did it. When all is said and done I am at peace with myself. I’m confident in my abilities as mayor and I feel like there’s a lot of positive prospects ahead of us.”

What is the greatest collective achievement by the council?

“Certainly one has been the sewer treatment lagoons, which has spanned a time period of 10 years. I think that relocating city hall and renovating the former clinic has been a positive asset for Ritzville. Making something out of the old city hall was also a positive as far as the police department needing more room.”

Talk about why the water system needs to be improved.

“The water system, I can remember back many years, when I was on the city council, the new well issue arouse. It was discussed and prices were tossed around. Everyone looked at everyone else like ‘oh my gosh, those are exhorbitant prices.’ Well here we are down the line maybe 10 years down the line and we’re looking at that in retrospect and thinking it was a whole lot cheaper at that time to have gone ahead and bite the bullet. Water issues have to be Ritzville’s number one priority for our future. Number one. If we neglect or ignore this issue at this point in time, and we thought the sewer lagoon system was a tragedy and horrible of a situation we were in when the sewer system failed and we had to go back in there, there are many of us that feel like that’s nothing compared to where we will be at if we choose to neglect the constructing of the new well. It’s that important.

You have a responsibility as mayor to ensure the health, safety and welfare of this community. Are you faced with a crisis situation?

“We are in a situation now, the city basically uses two wells. Our situation is, those are operational. With water usage backed off from summer usage, they are not being stressed at this point. Our plan is that we need to do what it takes to fix these wells to where they are workable until the new well can come in. We’re looking at, is it possible to rehabilitate our present wells. Is it possible to rehabilitate them to service us for up to 50 years. If it’s not possible, it’s not feasible, then we have no choice but to drill a new well. Everyone on that council realizes the importance. And we really have to face the issue of needing a new system. Nineteen percent of Ritzville’s water supply is leaking out through our old, antiquated pipes and that’s pretty significant when you put that into a year’s usage. That’s a lot of water that we’re losing. People see our public works crew repairing lines. But that’s just a drop in the bucket. That’s peanuts compared to what we have ahead of us.”

Four years ago we discussed the need for the city to acquire more water rights. What happened to that effort?

“Two years ago we met with an individual who has water rights close to our city. We ascertained that it would be desirous for him to sell those. At that time it was unknown what a fair and equitable price would be. But we do know that there’s availability. We talked about first right of refusal but we have not done that.”

How fiscally sound is the city?

“We have had balanced budgets and this year will be no different. We have had to cut corners as it is. We haven’t had to cut any jobs. We have had to tighten our belts in many areas. We just need to be careful and cautious without spending.”

If you could do what you dreamed, what would you do?

“The first number one priority we would construct a new well. Along with it would come the water distribution lines. We would find ways to renovate some of these old buildings downtown. We would build a strong infrastructure for Ritzville. We would certainly find a building that was adequate to put in a retirement home.”

Why did you visit with Warden?

“I sit and I watch and I read. One of my chief concerns is other small communities and how do they attract business and industry. What do they do to make this happen. On a larger scale that is so obvious in Moses Lake. It started from almost a ghost town. How do these small towns, comparable to us, how do they attract these businesses.”

There are many economic development studies done for this city over 50 plus years. When does the city have to begin investing in accomplishing those things?

“As far as I am concerned, I feel like at this point and time, our back is right up against the wall. We have listened. We have become inspired. We have been hopeful, and looked at all the designs and the plans and the goals. That’s pretty much where it sits. As far as I’m concerned, we’re sitting more or less where we started from when the city began all these studies. It is time to see something happen. We need to work very hard to make things happen. We sat back and they are not just going to happen. We’re going to have to do something, we’re going to have to work hard. We’re going to have to change tactics to make it happen. I don’t have the answers right now, but I am working on a plan I want to implement to change gears. If we don’t do it, we will dry up and blow away. We have just got to move forward and we have got to progress.

“In the past two years I have lived with this theory. Going into the mayor’s role I remember being a lot more idealistic. Dream it and it will happen. Well guess what, it didn’t. It’s time to change gears.”

Those who have not been a public servant often believe it is an easy task. Have the past 20 years been a real easy job?

“It has been challenging. The council sees the handwriting on the wall. They know where we are at. They know what we’re facing.”

If water is the top priority, what’s the No. 2 issue?

“Economic growth. How is the current thinking working for us? It has to happen. It needs to happen. It’s past time that it did happen.”

How important is it for the city to annex ground to make it easier in the future for development?

“It is very important. I have had to revise my thinking in terms of looking to the freeway. Looking to where the numbers are. Before I was more focused on ‘revitalize our downtown.’ If we don’t expand on what we already have up by the freeway, up where the numbers are, I foresee those things having to happen.

“Once things get started up there, there will be a trickle down effect and our downtown will take care of itself. I think then more small business will locate down here. I think more homes will be purchased and new ones built. That’s where change comes in, stepping outside of our box.”

Why should people vote for you?

“I have been a dedicated mayor. I am a compassionate person. I am a proactive person. Sometimes when I am after something I don’t stop until I get it.”