[August 10, 2011] Mayoral candidates say they are ready to lead Colfax Tweet Aug 10, 2011 (Moscow-Pullman Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Retiring Colfax Mayor Norma Becker has said she'd like some "fresh perspectives" from whoever will take over the position she has held for 22 years. The three candidates running for the spot claim to have just that. Carol Stueckle, a former mayor, and Tom Huntwork and Todd Vanek, who are co-workers at a Pullman scientific device manufacturer, will be on the ballot for next Tuesday's primary election. All three have noted their intent to work on the business sector of Colfax, while also improving communication and involvement with city officials and residents. Each brings different skills and experience to the position. Carol Stueckle Age: 72 Party affiliation: None, leans toward Republican Occupation: Fund-raiser/motivational speaker This former Colfax mayor, 1988-1992, said she has learned a lot since the last time she held the office, and that she'd like another opportunity to serve Colfax. "I've lived here a long time and enjoyed it," she said. "We have great people and great possibilities." If elected, Stueckle said her main focus would first go toward Main Street. "I want to keep all those businesses going and add some more," Stueckle said. "I'm going to take a poll on the businesses that are there and see what their needs are. This will be, I hope, done for the residents too -- because it's about what their needs are." Stueckle admits she isn't up-to-date with technology -- she doesn't own a computer, she said. But she said she knows how to communicate well and find people who can work on the city website and use social media. She said she will mainly talk with people one-on-one. Having been a fund-raiser for the hospital for 17 years, Steuckle said her public relations skills and public speaking experience will help if she is elected. "I don't get angry or scream," she said. "I'm a peacemaker and I will be conducting the meetings that way." Todd Vanek Age: 44 Party affiliation: None Occupation: Customer support manager at Decagon Devices He has held leadership positions in corporations and the military, and said there is a need for management in Colfax, which he would like to facilitate. "It's working with the city council, working with city employees to help manage the city, working with department heads to make sure everyone is doing their job, and then to provide support in whatever it is that the employees need," Vanek said. Vanek said his father was a city administrator in the town where he grew up, which gives him an idea of the amount of responsibility and challenge that comes with the title. An integral part of the job, he said, will be using technology. Revamping the city website has been a concern among many residents. He said figuring out the audience demographic is the first part. "We have to figure out who we're trying to communicate with," Vanek said. "Are we trying to communicate to people in Colfax or people outside of Colfax that we want to come visit? Vanek said, "Colfax has an older population also, so we need to figure out how to communicate with them, too, -- it could even be just as simple as an email list." Vanek said his education may be an advantage in the election -- having gone to graduate school, he understands the grant-writing process well and has experience in writing them. "Just like they did in Palouse with the Community Center -- they had a plan, they discussed it, and then they went out and sought the grant. In terms of Colfax businesses, Vanek wants to attend to them in a slightly different way. "When we look for businesses to move to Colfax, we think of the brick and mortar store, where you go in and buy something," Vanek said. "Instead of looking narrowly at 'We need a coffee shop,' ... maybe we can look at -- how do we entice companies that do more Internet, out-of-the-box business?" Thomas Huntwork Age: 51 Party affiliation: None Occupation: Customer support at Decagon Devices He moved to Colfax in 2004 and has served on the City Council as well. He said his experience there prompted his desire for a more open, transparent government. "I love Colfax, it's been very good to me," Huntwork said. "Mostly I just wanted to be more in touch with the council -- there are seven elected officials and ... most of the decisions made are done without the knowledge of the City Council." Huntwork would also like to work with the Chamber of Commerce to bring more community events to town. Appealing to younger generations is another important goal, he said. "The lack of ability to keep younger generations employed in the city has been kind of an issue," Huntwork said. "They graduate, leave and very few actually come back to live there. The biggest three employers in the city are the hospital, the county and aged care facilities. We need some new businesses, and not let the old ones get away from us." Huntwork worked in the farming industry for many years and he believes his knowledge of agriculture could be beneficial as mayor. He also said his involvement in community sports has helped him connect with younger people, who will be of help when it comes to things like technology. "I know several people, one guy has already approached me about upgrading our website," Huntwork said. "I'm pretty social, I'm out with a lot of different people who have some technical skills, and I have some myself but I really think it's about finding the right people and asking for help." Kelli Hadley can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 234, or by email to [email protected]. To see more of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dnews.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Moscow, Idaho Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]