Millwood City Council to feature new member after incumbent decides to run for mayor. Here are the candidates

A new face will be joining the Millwood City Council following an incumbent’s decision to seek a higher office.

Longtime Millwood City Councilwoman Shawna Beese has thrown her hat in the ring to be the next mayor of the small town, rather than seeking another term on the council. State law precludes a candidate from appearing twice on the same ballot.

Stepping up for the opportunity to take over Beese’s role are paralegal Tina Seifert and Gareth Kahl, who co-founded the electrical contracting company Dorsh & Kahl Co. in Spokane Valley.

Kahl did not return multiple requests for comments in the months ahead of this article’s publication.

Millwood is a small municipality, hemmed in on three sides by the city of Spokane Valley and the Spokane River to the north, with only 1,389 voters.

Seifert, 57, said her interest in serving in public office was spurred by a 20-unit manufactured home development in Millwood proposed last year that faced notable opposition from a group of Millwood residents.

While the development never came to be, Seifert said the proposal, approval and appeal process illustrated a lack of transparency into the decisions at City Hall. Many of her neighbors she organized with to advocate against the development encouraged her to run, she said.

“I care about the city of Millwood, and I want to make sure that this city stays much as it is now, for forever, even with the big growth around us,” Seifert said.

Seifert is a lifelong resident of the region, graduating from Central Valley High School in 1986 before going on to attend Spokane Community College and a certificate program through Eastern Washington University to become a paralegal. She’s worked in the legal field for more than two decades, predominantly with Maxey Law Office in Spokane.

Seifert believes her legal experience will be an asset to the council when reviewing contracts, agreements with other municipalities and operations within City Hall.

“I love to research,” Seifert said. “And just helping the community.”

In his statement provided to the Spokane County Elections Office for the official voter’s guide, Kahl said he’s proud to call the small town home.

“Millwood has given so much to my family, and now it’s my turn to give back,” Kahl wrote.

Kahl goes on to identify himself as “a father of three, outdoors enthusiast, and someone who values community, opportunity, and safety.”

“As a tradesman and small business owner, I know the importance of hard work and practical solutions,” Kahl said. “I’m running for office to bring those values to local government, supporting working families, strengthening small businesses, and keeping Millwood a place we’re all proud to call home.”

The manufactured home development’s approval, although it was later appealed, is not the only council decision deserving scrutiny, Seifert said. She does not support the ongoing reconstruction of Argonne Road to the tune of $4.2 million.

The road project is one of the largest in the town’s recent history and has the stated goals of improving safety, traffic flow and multimodal use through the nearly 100-year-old town. The work includes the addition of left turn lanes onto Dalton, Frederick and Liberty avenues; installation of upgraded railroad crossing equipment just before the intersection with Euclid Avenue; and the creation of a bicycle and pedestrian pathway from the Spokane River Bridge to the Millwood Interurban Trail.

Seifert does not see a need for additional turn lanes in the town’s core. She said traffic will always populate the street because of the train tracks that cross Argonne – part of a busy line for Union Pacific engines, and the construction has had too great of an impact on nearby businesses.

“Instead of putting millions of dollars into digging up, widening, repaving, why don’t you just purchase a new signal with a turn light?” Seifert said.

Seifert added that the city could have done more to get information on the upcoming project to the public and to solicit feedback. It is another example where she believes transparency and communication could be improved to encourage more civic engagement among Millwood residents.

“Even if it’s a flyer or a mailer, posters going up,” Seifert said. “Just something. There are options out there.”

As the region continues to grow and grapple with challenges like the opioid epidemic, housing and public safety, Seifert said Millwood needs to have a seat at the table to advocate for its interests regionally, statewide and at the federal level.

“To make sure Millwood is taken care of everywhere,” Seifert said. “Our priority is our small town, our citizens, our community, our businesses.”

Millwood is a unique town. Its history and character need to be preserved even as more changes come to the region it’s existed in for more than 100 years, she said. Seifert said she would look forward to the opportunity to give back to the place she’s called home for years.

“I’m a caring person,” Seifert said. “Love thy neighbor, right?”