Wall, Neff square off for Mansfield mayor

MANSFIELD – The race for town mayor between longtime resident and interim mayor Clint Wall and challenger Kris Neff, a relative newcomer who settled in Mansfield in 2020, is creating anticipation among residents.

Electing someone for mayor besides Tom Snell who held the office for 33 years between 1990 and 2022 is a new experience for many Mansfield voters. When Snell stepped down in the mid-term to be replaced by then council member Wall the transfer of leadership had that familiar ring that the voters would not have to do that again for another couple of decades.

Not so.

One issue before voters is whether to remain loyal to the familiar or to embrace change. And there are other issues as both candidates have made clear.

Wall stresses community roots

Wall graduated Mansfield High School in 1982, left the area for a spell to work construction, go to college, and find his future wife. When he brought her home to meet the locals, she liked what she saw, and the couple stayed. Wall was hired on with the Douglas County Road Department 27 years ago and began doing his part as a community volunteer.

The Walls have been married 36 years and have two children, a daughter, Emily, currently a boutique manager in Wenatchee, and son, Clinton, Jr., who just got married. He works as a lineman apprentice in Ellensburg.

“One of my strong points is I’m vested in the community,” said Wall “I have dedicated 25 years so far to the actual politics of Mansfield and the things I have done make me the qualified candidate.”

Some of those things Wall alluded to include almost 30 years in the fire department, 28 as an EMT, Lions Club, Booster Club president, and Waterville Fair Board for 10 years.

“We’re a small town and want to keep it that way,” said Wall. “The majority of the people I’ve spoken with like the small town.”

The city has 37 or 38 buildable lots in town and while Wall said he is not opposed to growth he wants to keep it at a modest rate.

“I want to see those filled. It would enhance the town and it would help the school out and the local economy,” said Wall. “But I don’t want to see a 500-unit housing development come into Mansfield and us become a sole bedroom community for other areas. That’s my biggest concern.”

Wall said the city is careful and conservative in its approach to expenditures and staff workload.

“I have two employees that work for me, and I have a part-time employee who takes care of the cemetery and that’s all we have,” said Wall. “We can’t overwhelm my office staff, which is one, and my city superintendent, that’s one, with a ton of projects.”

Wall said Mansfield must follow the same rules and regulations as other towns and cities but does so in a smaller context.

“We don’t have the resources for more staff,” said Wall. “We work on a very tight budget.”

Wall said retirement in less than four years will give him more time for city work.

“Working a full-time job plus the mayor’s job keeps you on your toes, but I enjoy it so much,” Wall said.

Neff sees needed change

Neff is a relative newcomer to the rural farming community having relocated from Chelan in 2020. An active community volunteer with a solid resume of offices held and causes promoted, she is past president of Chelan Rotary, Lake Chelan Republican Women, and the Chelan chapter of Womens Missionary Fellowship. She served as secretary for the Chelan Chamber of Commerce and a regular attendee of Chelan County Planning Commission meetings.

As a Mansfield resident Neff is a board member of the Mansfield Museum, a member of the Growth Advisory Board, the Mansfield United Protestant Church, Mansfield School Roundup committee, and a substitute teacher at the high school.

Neff is running a campaign centered around two principal issues: 1. Better communication between mayor, city council, and residents and 2. Budgeting to include capital long term planning.

She brings experience to the mayor’s race as a legal assistant, real estate broker and office owner, and certified real estate appraiser.

“I have run two of my own businesses, understand budgets, spreadsheets, profit and loss, balance sheets…and the accounting process,” Neff wrote in her business profile. “I know how to run a successful enterprise.”

“The thing we hear in Mansfield all the time is ‘There isn’t any money!’ One of my promises is I won’t take anything for this position,” Neff said.

Instead, she would direct some of her salary toward a quarterly newsletter about what is happening in the city council and with the city budget.

“We don’t set aside money for equipment; we don’t set aside money for tree trimming; we don’t do any capital planning at all; it’s all year-to-year,” Neff said.

“I know there are grants available to do things like playground equipment,” said Neff. “That’s one of the big things people told me they want.”

Neff said the city needs a full-time mayor and somebody needs to be in the city office all the time. Neff said the city clerk works at both the school and for the city.

“One of the other complaints the people had is to keep the darn office open,” said Neff. “You can go there three days a week and it’s closed for no reason. I don’t understand why we are paying a full-time position in city hall when the office is closed.”

Neff has distributed a printed circular itemizing changes she would enact as mayor. A few of those include:

• Improvements to Harold Beard and Railroad parks. Re-open the Railroad Park restroom. Include a line item in the 2024 city budget for tree trimming, and park maintenance.

• Annual budget with projected expenses and revenues for each city department. The community needs to know how the funds are being utilized on a detailed basis.

• Regular and consistent town hall hours for community access.

• Online bill payment, budgets, agendas, and meeting minutes. A town website with contacts for officials, maps, demographics, links to zoning, county web pages.

• Weekly communications from the mayor to the town council.

• Apply for grants available to small communities.

Mansfield voters will make their decision in the Nov. 7 general election.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483, michael@ward.media