Q&A: Warden City Council Position 4

MOSES LAKE — Brittney Pittman is running against Dario Pruneda for Position 4 on the Warden City Council.

The Columbia Basin Herald asked both candidates the questions below with matching word count restrictions and a deadline to submit responses. Pittman submitted her responses in accordance with those guidelines while Pruneda declined participation in this article.

Election Day is Nov. 7; ballots will be mailed to voters around Oct. 18. Early voting opens Oct. 20.

What prompted you to run for city council?

Pittman: In the fall of 2021 my husband and I purchased a property in his hometown of Warden with the goal of turning an old building into a venue available for the community to rent and use for a variety of gatherings. After over a year and a half of navigating the city’s convoluted municipal code, and with the help of our attorney, we are finally in the home stretch of making our facility available for public use.

In talking with local long-time residents I have heard numerous stories of how Warden used to be a happening place with services such as a doctor’s office, a dentist, a florist, a variety store, a clothing store, and much more. Many of the local young families have stated that there is a need for businesses that offer activities and places for our youth to safely hang out.

As a Civil Engineer, I have worked in private development and with public agencies including the Port of Warden. I have seen firsthand how different municipal code impacts businesses, development and overall growth across Grant County and beyond. I offer my knowledge and experience, with the goal to improve the city of Warden and help foster new small businesses, services and activities for the residents.

What are the biggest challenges you believe the city faces?

Pittman: In the last few years Warden has seen a significant amount of residential development. Most of these new residents commute to jobs in Moses Lake or Othello. To keep residents interested and involved in the Warden community, the city needs to look at what they can do to foster small commercial growth to cater to the resident’s needs. Additionally, with more development comes more revenue and as a city, we need to be re-investing back into our infrastructure. A large portion of the city’s streets are not paved and the ones that are are in need of some major repairs. The city has invested heavily into making necessary updates to the water system and there is still more that needs to be done. Finally, with the increase in residents, communication and transparency needs to become more of a priority. From updating the website to posting key announcements on social media there is much more that can be done.

What are the primary goals you hope to achieve if elected?

Pittman: The number one priority needs to be getting the City’s municipal code reviewed for continuity and removal of confusing ambiguity. As is, there are several sections of the code that reference other sections that are completely unrelated. There are sections of the code that refer to items and committees that are either undefined or no longer exist. Cleaning up the city's municipal code is a huge step forward in making the city of Warden a friendlier place for small businesses and commercial development to come to town. If we want to see our children and grandchildren continue to raise their families in Warden, it is our responsibility to foster growth and make the necessary improvements to ensure that the city of Warden can thrive into the future.

How can the public contact you?

Pittman: I can be reached via email at bpittman802@gmail.com.

Correction: Brittney Pittman's name was initially misspelled but has been corrected above.