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APRIL 1998

None neutral on nepotism

SUNNYSIDE (4-29-98)--Some love Sunnyside's new anti-nepotism policy, some hate it.

Speakers at city council meetings have come out on both sides of the issue.

 

Don Outhet, owner of Sunnyside's Lock Shop, is one who doesn't like nepotism. He told the City Council so during a noon workshop that took place at the new Snipe's Mountain Brewery

yesterday.

 

Outhet has long had a feud with the Sunnyside Police Dept. and Chief Wallace Anderson. Part of the Lockshop's business is helping people when they lock themselves out of their cars. Police, paid by taxpayers, do it for free.

 

Outhet feels that old feud has led other city departments to patronize out-of-town vendors for other services the local Lock Shop provides.

 

Outhet brought invoices to the council meeting which show the city bought more than $1,000 worth of goods and services from the Valley Lock & Key Service, of Yakima. Invoices showed, among other things, the Yakima business charged Sunnyside for back-and-forth travel and a service rate of $42 an hour.

 

How does that tie in with nepotism? In one case, a $900 invoice was signed by Brenda Anderson, the Chief's wife and auditing officer for the purchase.

 

Said Outhet, who invoked public record laws to obtain the invoices, "I would have liked to turn in a bid for this work. The city talks about doing business with local businesses, then this happens. I don't know how often this has happened. These are the only invoices I have."

 

Outhet said that, in 1991, he complained to former City Mgr. Leo Fancey about the city's buying out of town.

 

"Mr. Fancey told me 'I will shop wherever I please,'" Outhet said.

 

Jo Balfour, a Mabton official but Sunnyside resident, stood up for Fancey and Sunnyside.

 

"Part of a buying decision depends on the vendor's attitude. It's not a black and white issue," she said.

 

Councilman Don Vlieger, however, believed Outhet had a point. He requested that city staff check into local vs. out-of-town buying habits, with an eye toward buying local where possible.