Kent City Council members Jim Berrios and Dana Ralph are headed to an election showdown next year to become the next mayor.
Berrios announced his run for mayor in front of a banquet room crowd of supporters Thursday night at the Golden Steer Steak ‘n Rib House he owns on the East Hill. Voters elected Berrios to the council in 2013 when he defeated Wade Schwartz. Berrios lost a 2009 run for mayor against incumbent Suzette Cooke.
Cooke’s 12-year reign will end in December 2017 as she decided against running for a fourth, four-year term. Ralph, who announced in March, and Berrios are the only two residents so far to declare their candidacy.
“I’ve received incredible amounts of encouragement from citizens throughout the city,” Berrios said at the Golden Steer event. “It has been both heartwarming and humbling to receive so much encouragement. …I believe I can bring my love for the city, my passion for the important work that needs to be accomplished, my successful experience leading large organizations and my unique history of service to our community to the job of mayor.”
Berrios said several issues he plans to focus on are making sure government is open and accountable, strengthening neighborhoods, stronger partnerships with schools, remaining a city with a history and a heart for caring about the less fortunate with an emphasis to help the homeless and, “the city’s most important responsibility – ensuring Kent is a safe place to live, to work, to play, to relax and to raise our families.”
The decision by Berrios to run didn’t surprise Ralph.
“I’ve heard he’s been planning on running for sometime,” she said in a phone interview on Friday. “It’s an open seat and I think it will draw more attention. The last time there was an open (2005 mayor’s) seat it drew four candidates. I’ve heard rumors of a couple of others considering it. It would not surprise me between now and filing deadline in the spring that more people will be in the race.”
Several speakers at the restaurant gathering announced their support of Berrios, including Council President Bill Boyce and Councilwoman Brenda Fincher. Boyce previously served on the Kent School Board with Berrios before each moved to the council.
“Dana Ralph is a good friend of mine and Jim is a good friend of mine so I kind of wanted to stay behind and not step out in front,” said Boyce, in his fifth year on the council and first year as president. “I talked to a lot of people and my wife about it and worked through it. Jim is my friend and I care about him. He is a good man and he will make a good mayor for the city of Kent.”
Fincher, in her third year on the council, threw her support behind Berrios.
“He’s a strong leader,” Fincher said. “When we have different issues, he’s one of those people that I call to talk over those issues. He’s a man who is ready to handle the position of mayor of Kent…. He will continue to leading Kent on to be a greater city than we are now.”
Ralph has endorsements from fellow council members Dennis Higgins and Les Thomas as well as ex-Mayor Jim White and former council members Debbie Raplee, Debbie Ranniger, Ron Harmon and Judy Woods.
Ralph, who is in her fifth year on the council, doesn’t expect the mayor’s race or endorsements by fellow members to impact anyone’s work on the council.
“My hope is we conduct our business as usual and the campaign is outside our work on the council,” said Ralph, who recently received an endorsement from the Kent Police Officers Association. “I look forward to a positive race and to let the people decide with all of the focus on why we want to represent the city.”
Andrea Keikkala, executive director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, also spoke at the gathering in favor of Berrios. He previously served as Chamber president.
“He is trustworthy, authentic and his ability to make tough decisions through strong management and leadership makes him the type of strong mayor that Kent needs,” Keikkala said.
As council members, Berrios and Ralph are paid a part-time salary of $14,448 per year. The full-time mayor position pays $138,000 per year.
Berrios said he plans a large campaign kickoff party next year – closer to the election – rather than making it more than a year-long race to become mayor.
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