PORT ANGELES — Luncheon-goers were treated to a spirited discussion Monday among the four primary election candidates for a seat on the Port Angeles City Council at a Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce forum.
From their opening statements, candidates challenged each other to defend previous actions and campaign assertions, with most of the salvos coming from Peter Ripley, Edna Petersen and Max Mania — and much of the fire directed at and by Petersen and Mania.
Staying out of the fray
Candidate Rick Burton, 40, a Nippon Paper Industries USA papermaker, stayed largely out of the fray and said he was unable to answer two of the four questions that audience members posed.
The all-mail ballot primary election is under way and ends Aug. 18.
About 1,823 ballots of 11,188 mailed to voters — not including an estimated 350 ballots uncounted — were returned in Clallam County’s only primary election as of Monday, county Election Supervisor Shoona Radon said.
The position pays $650 monthly for the mayor, $600 for the deputy mayor and $550 for the five remaining council members.
About 100 people attended Monday’s luncheon at the Port Angeles CrabHouse Restaurant.
In their opening statements and responses to the other candidates’ opening statements, Ripley and Petersen leveled salvos at Mania, 41, a grocery clerk and former public relations agent.
Ripley, 48, the publisher of two online newspapers, said Mania had cast himself as an advocate for the disabled yet has done little to advance the cause.
“Saying this and doing it is a different thing,” said Ripley, who is disabled and founded the Port Angeles-based Disability Trust Assistance Organization.
Mania said he was romantically involved for several years with a woman who had cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair.
During that time, he came to understand the public perception of those with disabilities, he said.
“No one can be involved with absolutely everything,” he said.
Statement challenged
Petersen, 69, owner of Necessities & Temptations gift shop downtown, also challenged Mania to defend his statement in the Peninsula Daily News 2009 Primary Election Voter Guide that “a vote for my opponents is a vote to move backward, not forward.”
“Let’s concentrate on moving forward,” she said, urging the candidates to treat each other “with dignity.”
“Running the farmers market out of downtown was a backward thing to do,” Mania responded. “To see that as a liability is not very progressive.”
The Saturday farmers market was located on a block of Laurel Street between First and Front streets downtown.
The City Council in December 2005 voted not to extend the market’s permit, causing it to move to the county courthouse parking lot at 223 E. Fourth St., after eight business owners — among them Petersen — complained that the closure disrupted traffic flow.
“I never fought the farmers market,” Petersen said, praising the Wednesday farmers market at The Gateway transit center at Lincoln and Front streets.
“I fought the closure of a street that restricted the flow of traffic to my store.”
Asserting he is the candidate “who truly represents progress,” Mania said he is not raising money for his campaign but for nonprofit groups.
“I’m not interested in adhering to the status quo.”
Campaign signs
Petersen said she, Ripley and Burton “were not invited to the party” in which City Council candidates were asked to forego campaign signs, and that she had already ordered signs when she learned of the suggestion.
“I’m not spending lots of money on this campaign,” she said.
Mania, Petersen and Ripley seemed to diverge, too, on a suggestion that Front and First streets — both one-way thoroughfares — each be turned into two-way streets with one designated as U.S. Highway 101.
“It would be quite a project and expensive,” Mania said, adding such a move would “enhance” downtown.
Petersen, joking that she was “backward and old,” said she remembers when there was angle parking downtown.
“We just have to think a little bit about the money,” she said.
Ripley said the city could not afford such a move.
“Our resources are going downhill,” he said.
Burton said he was unable to answer the question.
“I don’t want to rattle something off that I don’t have a clue about,” Burton said.
Three other topics
Along with questions on ideas for attracting business to Port Angeles and changing First and Front streets, the candidates were asked their opinions on three other topics:
•SEnSThe importance of the senior center:
Ripley said he supports it and the city should continue to do so.
Petersen said she donates to the upcoming Senior Games and the newsletter.
Mania said his mother-in-law volunteers at the center and called it “a wonderful resource.”
“I’d love to see it grow, grow, grow,” Mania said.
“I can’t comment until I get more information,” Burton said.
•SEnSSpecific ideas for attracting businesses to the community:
Mania urged a focus on natural resources and tourism.
Burton said churches should sponsor under-18 clubs run by teenagers.
Petersen said prosperity can result from businesses and government working together.
Ripley said the city should concentrate on providing infrastructure to make it attractive for business investments.
•SEnSKnowledge of “the intricacies” of the city budget and other municipal issues in which they must be knowledgeable to serve on the City Council:
Ripley said it’s difficult to come up with a budget plan “when you get shot in the foot” by unfunded mandates.
Petersen said she is familiar with the dedication it takes — five to 20 hours a week — to be on the council.
She was appointed to the City Council in July 2006 and served through 2007 before being defeated by present council member Dan Di Guilio,
Burton said he was “starting at the bottom of the learning process.”
Burton said he differed from his opponents because “they have served because of some self-interest.”
“Those interests will cloud their judgments when they deal with certain issues,” he said.
Mania said he subscribes to Governing magazine, a subsidiary of the Times Publishing Co. of St. Petersburg, Fla., and has been studying the city budget.
He said he would listen to others with expertise and “common concerns.”
________
Staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
