EPHRATA - Steve Oliver is running for the mayor’s seat in Ephrata against incumbent Mayor Bruce Reim. Both Oliver and Reim were concurrently presented with the questions below and given identical deadlines and word count restrictions for their answers. Oliver’s responses are below. Both submitted their responses in a timely manner.

Q: How should the mayor balance the allocation of Ephrata’s financial resources? What initiatives should be prioritized within the budget? 

A: I believe the mayor and the city council need to work together more aggressively to address short-term and long-term needs in many areas, such as: 

• Citizens need to feel safe and have open communication with their police force to feel protected, as well as be heard and listened to. 

• Infrastructure or our aging sewer, water, roads and parks needs to be upgraded to ensure Ephratans can use their city efficiently and safely. 

• Bringing in data centers, Boeing, Amazon, Yahoo or any large corporation to build our tax revenues so we can purchase money-making, touristic businesses, which will bring in revenue to expand family activities in the city. 

• More, and clearer, transparency of our city funds and where they are being spent. More polling of citizens to expand on what priorities citizens want and need. 

Q: How do you plan to ensure that Ephrata residents are involved in governmental processes and their voices are heard and represented in decisions? 

A: There needs to be more aggressive polling regarding people’s needs rather than empirical decision-making via the City Council. There needs to be more town hall meetings to address the public’s inquiries and to keep them well-informed of the decisions and upcoming issues facing the City Council. Although the City Council meetings are open for anyone to attend, there can always be more occasions for city representatives and the public to meet and exchange ideas and concerns without the two-minute allotted time in a City Council meeting. People are unaware of who their representatives are and what they do for them as a representative of the public. City Council is not an elite position, it is public servitude, and they should remember who they work for and whose best interests they are representing. Communication difficulties should be addressed as well. 

Q: What are your top three goals if elected as the Mayor of Ephrata and how do you plan on accomplishing said goals? 

A: My number one is to actively and tenaciously contact companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, DHL, UPS, etc., to encourage them to expand their businesses to Ephrata, where we have cheap power, expansive land and a central location for their ever-growing needs. It is a proven success that has benefited neighboring cities, and we should take advantage of it ASAP. 

My second goal would be to reexamine the Port and investigate its current efficient usage and how it could be used more productively and functionally to expand and house more taxable companies that would provide more jobs. 

My third goal would be to examine the FEMA flood zone and organize a committee to end the flood zone and all its fees homeowners pay. IT IS POSSIBLE. (Look up Camp Mystic in Texas for proof.) 

All three of these goals are possible despite the current rhetoric. 

Q: What is the biggest challenge facing Ephrata and if elected, how do you plan on addressing the issue? 

A: A simple Google search will show you a compiled list of challenges such as infrastructure issues, affordable housing, economic development and revenue generation, transparency and communication, and youth activities and crime. The biggest issue is that all these problems need equal attention, and it will be difficult to prioritize them in an efficient order. Currently, there are steps being taken to address many of these issues, but the one that I find most concerning is how a lack of economic development, transparency and youth activities and crime are all interconnected. If you encourage the large companies to come in, they will provide tax revenue and jobs. Tax revenue would purchase entertainment facilities and give the youth something productive to do. As a government town, Ephrata is resistant to change. Unfortunately, it needs to change for the better and allow progress to happen. That’s the crux of this election. 

Q: How can people learn more about your campaign? Do you have any upcoming events? 

A: My website: facebook.com/steveoliverformayor, my website: steveoliver.netlify.app, and my email address: [email protected] are all online links to reach out to me.

I’m also open at my business Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I’m also available in person when I’m out and about and I’ll always make time to talk to anyone who has a question. 

I have an upcoming debate being held by the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 7 in Ephrata. Please see the Chamber’s site for more information. 

The Columbia Basin Herald will have an update from my previous debate in July soon. Please see their website for more information. 

I have free yard signs and T-shirts available for pickup during the business hours listed above. My websites will be constantly updated with new posts, events, appearances, and current news in Ephrata. 

Editor’s Note: Regarding Mr. Oliver’s last response. The Columbia Basin Herald will continue to cover the race, but has not committed to any additional coverage stemming specifically from the July debate.