Meet the Ephrata mayoral candidates

EPHRATA – Ephrata Mayoral Candidates met at Pita Pit Wednesday night to meet with constituents and give speeches on their plans if elected as mayor. Both incumbent Bruce Reim and candidate Steve Oliver said the event was a success. 

“I thought it went pretty good,” Reim said. “I thought there was a good turnout. It was really nice of Pam (Leseman, Pita Pit owner) and her granddaughter to put that thing together for us. It's overtime for them and a long night for them. But it was well received. I got good feedback. I had a lot of really good conversations with the people that were there. I thought the interaction was good. They felt comfortable talking and expressing their ideas and such. I personally walked away with some really good ideas and potential upgrades and changes to the way we do business down City Hall.”  

Oliver expressed similar sentiments. 

“I think it went really well,” Oliver said. “Honestly, I have to say that I was not expecting a round of applause like that when I hadn't done anything but got off my chair. That was nice and reassuring. There wasn't as much interaction afterwards as I had hoped there'd be. Both sides kind of kept to themselves, and a lot of people said they were disappointed there weren't actually live questions from the audience. Other than that, I really think the thing went over really well.” 

The forum allowed each candidate to speak for 15 minutes about anything they would like.   

Reim 

Reim began his speech stating, “First of all, I want to thank God and thank everybody out here for coming.”  

He encouraged attendees to ask questions and share their feedback, which he deemed vital for the community's development. 

Reim also addressed the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that it had severely affected downtown Ephrata.  

“Several years ago, everything was shut down," he said, recognizing the community's struggles during the crisis.  

He followed that sentiment by highlighting the city's gradual recovery.  

Reim also discussed the shift in consumer behavior due to the pandemic, particularly the rise of online shopping.  

“Amazon jumped in and says, ‘Hey, I can ship my stuff to you,’” he said, highlighting the challenges that local businesses faced as a result of this shift.  

Despite the difficulties, Reim shared some positive news regarding city revenues: “We do receive tax money from (online retailers), which I think is really good for us,” he said. “It allowed us, as a city, to be able to do a whole bunch of new projects and do a whole bunch of new things. The sad part is that we still lost businesses. So, we're working on that.” 

Reim addressed the importance of revitalizing downtown Ephrata, acknowledging the need for infrastructure improvements in the downtown area.  

“Some of us who have been around here for a while remember when we had trees and we had all sorts of stuff going on down here,” he said.  

Among the projects underway, Reim discussed the ongoing improvement of the city’s sewer system and water infrastructure, both of which he described as “archaic” and in dire need of modernization.  

“We’re doing our sewer system, and we’ve been halfway through that,” Reim said.  

He said the city is committing approximately $9 million towards these upgrades, which he said demonstrates a long-term investment in the community’s well-being. 

In addition to infrastructure, Reim addressed the opportunities available at the Port of Ephrata, which he described as an area ripe for development.  

“There’s a bunch of land out there that’s not being used. Well, all that land that is out there is not city property, its port property. It is governed by a three-member commission that takes care of everything out there,” he said.  

He said the city has been in collaboration with the port; however, they cannot dictate policy at the port or actions taken by the port commission.  

As Reim discussed financial matters, he emphasized the importance of responsible budgeting and careful use of taxpayer money.  

“We take the tax dollar, and we stretch it about as tight as we can,” Reim said.  

Reim also reinforced his commitment to transparency, urging constituents to engage in city council meetings, which are now broadcast online.  

“You can be part of our council meeting, and I encourage you to come learn,” he said.  

As the Reim concluded, he expressed his readiness to address questions from constituents, saying, “If you have any questions afterward... I’ll stay here all night.”  

Oliver 

Oliver spoke about both the challenges and opportunities facing Ephrata, drawing on 25 his years of experience in the area. 

"I know a lot of people out here, and a lot of you do not know me," Oliver said.  

He started his speech by discussing the need for community engagement as he addressed concerns of residents, particularly regarding public safety. 

"I would like to address these as they were given to me. Some of these were concerns for public safety, and I would like to finalize the place of contracts as quickly as possible," he said.  

Oliver said that many police officers have been operating without contracts for three years, which has left them feeling insecure in their positions.  

According to City Administrator Ray Towry, the contract expired at the end of 2023. However, the city still provided a 4.1% raise to officers in 2024. Officers cannot strike under the law as other unions can, but the city is working with the union to complete negotiations on a new contract. Until that contract is finalized, the conditions of the prior contract are being followed. 

To bolster safety measures, Oliver proposed an increase in police presence, particularly during peak hours when crime rates tend to spike.  

"Night patrols would be very effective. It’s worked in a lot of other places where we get crime down by having a police presence during those busy hours," he said.  

He said one of the things he would like to establish in the first six months if elected as mayor, is establishing a splash pad in one of the parks.

“It sounds trivial, but you know that this is something that a lot of communities do now. It's inexpensive, and it's something for families to use,” he said. “This is something that is not going to break anyone's budget.” 

Discussing tourism, Oliver acknowledged the area’s limitations in attracting visitors.  

"Tourism is a tricky thing in this area because we don’t have any natural amenities,” he said. "We need to promote all businesses and have attractions here, whether they’re manmade or not."  

On the topic of downtown revitalization, Oliver touched on the need to address infrastructural challenges that have hindered business growth, particularly the constraints imposed by floodplain insurance requirements.  

"It’s hard for businesses to move downtown because of the floodplain. This is what’s killing downtown businesses," he said. "We need to find ways to get this extinguished." 

Oliver proposed actionable solutions, calling for greater collaboration among local agencies to rebuild Ephrata’s downtown and get it out of the flood zone. 

He said he is also committed to improving public amenities and increasing job opportunities.  

"I want people to feel better,” Oliver said. “I want more activities. I want to have more jobs.”  

He suggested adding businesses such as Amazon at the Port of Ephrata to stimulate the economy. 

Throughout his speech, he emphasized the importance of a proactive approach. In particular, he had concerns about the water infrastructure after a water line broke, causing the city to be on a temporary boil advisory.  

"We need to be proactive instead of reacting. If we add one water main break, we should find ways to trace all the lines that are actually buried," he said 

In closing, Oliver expressed his desire to be an active participant in the community. He encouraged attendees to ask questions and suggested they engage with him further about their concerns. 

"I appreciate the opportunity you’ve given me tonight," Oliver said, "And I hope that I said something that resonated with you." 

    Incumbent Bruce Reim speaks at the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Mayoral Meet and Greet at Pita Pit Wednesday.
  

    Incumbent Bruce Reim speaks with constituents following his speech at Pita Pit Wednesday.
  

    Candidate Steve Oliver speaks with a group of Ephrata residents at Pita Pit Wednesday.