Two Contests Highlight Cheney Council Elections In/Around: Cheney

James Reinbold abruptly left his job as Cheney city administrator last year under first-term Mayor Amy Jo Sooy.

He found his way into the job of security officer for the Cheney School District and is developing a new security plan for the district.

Now, Reinbold wants to return to Cheney city government. Only this time, he would have voting power.

Reinbold is running for one of four Cheney City Council seats on the ballot next month.

He is facing Michael R. Penrod, a part-time administrator at Eastern Washington University and a relative newcomer to Cheney. He has previous experience in civic affairs. Three other seats are on the ballot. Incumbent Dwayne J. Paul and newcomer Les Harris are running unopposed.

The other election race involves a contest between Patrick Rast, a biology technician at Eastern Washington University, and Bill Thompson, a manager for the Washington Air National Guard.

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Reinbold said he isn’t seeking any political paybacks against Sooy even though they disagreed over management of City Hall.

Sooy took office in 1998 with a pledge to streamline city government in the face of budget cuts. She became Reinbold’s boss at the time tough choices were being debated.

Reinbold had been city administrator for 17 years and, before that, served as a police officer on the Cheney force for eight years.

He said he decided it was the appropriate time to make a career change, something he had been thinking about doing before Sooy was elected.

“I’m not a vindictive type of guy. I don’t plan to be,” Reinbold said.

In fact, Reinbold said he approves of Sooy’s recent personnel moves, including her selections of Paul Schmidt as city administrator, Greg Lopes as police chief and Don MacDonald as public works director.

“I kind of miss my staff,” Reinbold said of one of the reasons he wants to return to City Hall.

On issues of substance, Reinbold said he wants to be on the council to make sure that improvements accomplished while he was administrator continue to be maintained, including the new wastewater treatment plant and other city infrastructure.

“I know how the city functions and operates,” he said.

Where Reinbold is an old hand at Cheney city affairs, Penrod is a fresh face.

He moved to Cheney a year ago when his wife was offered a career advancement in administration at the university. They previously lived in Manhattan, Kan., the home of Kansas State University.

There, Penrod said he was involved as a neighborhood leader and worked on issues such as community development and zoning.

Currently he is working part time at EWU in an administrative job. He is trained as a teacher in special education and adult education and worked for a short time for City University in the Tri-Cities.

He is also enrolled in the master of public administration program at the University of Idaho in Moscow. He commutes there.

Penrod is a member of the parent-based site council at Cheney Middle School.

“One of the things I believe in is you should be involved in local government,” Penrod said.

He said Cheney appears to be on the verge of more economic growth with its increase in student population and the need for newer services.

“I think the community needs to be more actively involved in guiding growth,” Penrod said.

He supports cooperative efforts between the city and the university and believes that neighborhoods need some cleaning up.

Penrod said he’s been going door to door to learn the concerns of Cheney residents.

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The race between Rast and Thompson features two fresh faces to City Council politics. They are conducting a polite campaign.

Rast has lived in Cheney since 1977 and works as a technician in the biology department at EWU.

“We’ve got a real good town here,” Rast said.

He decided to run for office so he could contribute to the city that has been home to him and his family.

“I am not going to go in with any agenda,” he said.

Rast has been going door to door and hearing concerns from Cheney residents. He said he’s a proponent of small business and wants the city to open its arms to students.

He said the city needs to have more things for students to do, such as the new movie theater that opened in Cheney earlier this year.

“I’m not a politician by any means,” Rast said. “I am looking at doing a community service mainly.”

Thompson has been involved in civic affairs. He currently serves on the board for the Cheney Park Department.

He and his family have lived in Cheney for 10 years. Thompson served in the Air Force and lived in the area during the 1970s.

Currently he works in information management for the 256th Combat Communications Squadron of the Washington Air National Guard.

He said he is running for City Council because, like Rast, he believes community service is important.

“I can be part of the solution,” he said.

Thompson said he can bring his administrative expertise to City Hall. He is complimentary about city government.

“I think the council and city staff have done a great job the last couple years to have the city working the way it is,” Thompson said.

Earlier this year, Thompson and his wife, Sandy, opened their home to seven war refugees from Kosovo. Five returned after the fighting ended, but two remain in the Spokane area.

Thompson also leads the Royal Rangers youth group of the Amazing Grace Fellowship church in Cheney.