Pullman candidates all boast deep roots

Pullman residents have begun to decide who will advance to the first contested mayoral race in decades.

Citizens receive their Washington primary ballots today, kicking off the Aug. 1 primary election.

The Pullman mayoral position has opened up for the first time in almost 20 years after longtime Mayor Glenn Johnson announced he will not be running for reelection.

Pullman councilors Francis Benjamin and Eileen Macoll, as well as retired Pullman teacher Deb McNeil, are competing for the seat.

The three face off in the August primary, and only the top two candidates with the most votes will advance to the November general election.

Primary ballots must be returned to the auditor’s office by Aug. 1, on primary election day.

Benjamin moved to Pullman in 1985, when he switched from the University of Idaho to Washington State University for his last year of college. He has served on the Pullman City Council for more than 13 years, as well as several other city organizations.

His top priority in the mayoral role is to help the community grow and care for people within it. He added he doesn’t have one singular project, but considers many, including downtown revitalization, supporting the arts, businesses and the health of Pullman residents, among other key points.

Benjamin’s passion for serving the community began a little over 20 years ago when his wife, Heidi, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

He said coming out of the medical process, he and his wife asked themselves what legacies they want to leave behind. And for Benjamin, he wanted to give back to the community that had graciously supported them.

“I was overwhelmed by the community outpour at the time, just the support and care everyone gave while we were going through a significant medical time,” Benjamin said. “I wanted to give back to the community, and it’s what got me into volunteering and what’s led to me running for mayor.”

Benjamin said he stands out from his opponents with his long track record of leadership within the community, the relationships and connections he has made as well as his open door policy. He added a mayor needs to be open and someone who will listen to anyone. He said he’s worked hard to be nonpartisan and open with everyone in the community.

Macoll came to Pullman in 1973 to study at WSU, and said she’s been here ever since. She added she’s tried to leave a few times but each time it was always “When am I going to get back to Pullman?”

She’s served on the Pullman City Council since 2015, as well as several other city organizations.

Macoll said in the mayoral role she wants real solutions in real time that affect real people in their everyday lives, something they can see and feel. She added she’s very practical and will make things happen rather than just talk about it.

Her priorities are making sure the downtown project continues to go forward, and work with businesses during the process. She added something needs to be done about traffic, specifically on Grand Avenue and Main Street, as it’s the number one frustration people discuss with her about Pullman.

Macoll said she’s known from the “get-go” she’s wanted to be mayor.

“I’ve been on the city council since 2015 and I’ve always known I was on the mayor’s calendar,” Macoll said. “At some point the end of my turn is going to coincide with the mayor race. I’ve known I’ve wanted this since before I filed for the very first time.”

She said there’s only so much one city councilor can do, and she decided to take the plunge to “steer the ship.”

Macoll said she stands out from other candidates because she’s pragmatic, she wants practical solutions and will find them and implement them. She added she’s been at this for a while and understands how to work together as a team and collaborate with others to get results.

McNeil moved to Pullman in 1973 to study at WSU, and has lived on the Palouse ever since.

She has more than 35 years of teaching experience, being an instructor from 1978 to 2014 at Pullman High School, Lincoln Middle School and Sunnyside Elementary. She added she is the only candidate with brick-and-mortar experience, running her business, Quilted Heart LLC.

McNeil said as mayor, she will use her skills as both an educator and business owner to further Pullman’s development.

Her priorities are the development and revitalization of downtown, working to support businesses and attract new ones. She wants Pullman to be a business-friendly community. Also, she wants to make sure different groups are being heard and seen. She added a mayor needs to go out and seek others’ opinions, and make sure everyone is being supported.

McNeil said while reaching out to Johnson, she became excited about running for mayor as she has the needed skills.

“I’m flexible, especially working with children, an active listener and I have the ability to work things at different angles,” McNeil said. “But the biggest thing is I’m personable. My temperament and personality is what this town needs right now.”

McNeil said though she doesn’t serve on the city council or other organizations, the community has always been her committee. She added she’s experienced this city as an educator, business owner, parent and community member.

McNeil said she differs from her opponents because of her experience being a teacher and owning a business. She added she has been an inclusive leader, has customer service experience and has the ability to reach out to underrepresented groups.

To learn more about the primary election, visit the Auditor’s Office website at whitmancounty.org/167/auditor.