Villagrana, Hurtado compete for Brewster Council Position Two

BREWSTER – One of the only contested races in the Quad City Herald’s coverage area in the Nov. 7 General Election is that for Position 2 on the Brewster City Council.
Ramiro Villagrana
Incumbent Ramiro Villagrana, 59, is seeking his third term on the Brewster council. In a campaign flyer Villagrana wrote that he is running for reelection “because I love this town, and I want to guard the uniqueness that makes this city beloved by our residents.”
Villagrana is a self-employed accountant with a strong background in management, budgeting, negotiation and working with municipal governments.
Villagrana and his wife of 38 years, Marisela, have been Brewster residents for 25 years.
Villagrana believes that Brewster will continue to grow and how it does that is of great importance to its residents.
“I have organizational and relational skills,” wrote Villagrana. “I fully understand economics and fiscal responsibilities attached to city decisions.”
Some of the remaining work Villagrana hopes to pursue if re-elected includes finding grants to continue improvement projects. Among accomplishments Villagrana points to during his time on the council are completion of the new water reservoir, infrastructure and street improvements, purchase of a new street sweeper, and initiating the process to develop a master plan for Anderson Field Airport.
“I will listen to residents’ concerns as they arise, and I will find the solutions for those concerns,” Villagrana wrote.
“If re-elected I would like to make a plan to maintain the sidewalks of Main Street on a regular basis,” wrote Villagrana, and “to search for funding to improve existing sidewalks and build new ones to make this town safer to walk during the day and night.”
Emmanuel Hurtado
His challenger, Emmanuel (Manny) Hurtado, 36, is married and a Brewster businessman. He and his wife of 10 years, Teresa, have three children, a son Cristian, nine, and twin five-year-old daughters, Kamilla and Isabella.
Hurtado graduated Brewster High School in 1999 and moved to California in 2000 where he worked as a maintenance and electrical technician for the City of Encinitas. The family moved back to Brewster two years ago.
Hurtado, together with younger brother, Martin, own business interests from Okanogan to Brewster including The Armory building in Okanogan, the Monse General Store that the brothers just refurbished and reopened in September, and The Armory on Sixth and Main in downtown Brewster.
“We want to complete these projects and galvanize our businesses before taking on any more,” Hurtado said.
Along with the Monse Store, those businesses include a restaurant and lounge in the Okanogan Armory, and a restaurant/lounge in the Brewster location, as well as lube and oil stop and auto repair shop.
Hurtado said he began attending monthly Brewster council meetings as soon as he returned to Brewster “to learn more about the community.”
Hurtado believes there is a disconnect between council decisions, regulations and fees enacted by council members and the public at large.
“I think there is a need for someone to represent the new generation and who is really involved in the community,” said Hurtado. “A lot of things happen that nobody finds out about and then when they do they ask ‘Why?’”
“I want to be able to relay everything I’ve seen and heard back to the people,” Hurtado said.
Hurtado said he and his family are invested in the community and he wants to encourage others to do the same.
“I want people to come here,” said Hurtado, “and those who are here, I want to stay here.”
Hurtado recently created a Facebook site for his council campaign: www.facebook.com/ Emmanuel-Hurtado-for-City-Council