After current Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier announced his candidacy for Thurston County Commissioner District 4 earlier this year, two candidates announced their bids to take over as Tenino’s mayor — Linda Gotovac and Dave Watterson.
Both candidates talked with The Chronicle about what is driving them to seek the highest-elected position in the South Thurston County city of Tenino and why voters should choose them in the upcoming election next week.
Ballots are due by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7. If a voter hasn’t received their ballot, the Thurston County Auditor’s Office recommends visiting votewa.gov and selecting “my ballot,” calling 360-786-5408 or visiting the office at 2400 Evergreen Park Drive SW in Olympia.
To find the ballot drop box nearest you, along with more information on candidates and ballot measures, visit https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/auditor/elections.
Linda Gotovac
Currently serving on the Tenino City Council, Gotovac has lived in Tenino for the last 21 years and is the daughter of someone who was born and raised in the city.
“I’ve been on the city council for six years and been part of almost all of the things that have been happening here in the last decade,” Gotovac said.
Aside from her service as a councilor, Gotovac, 83, is the secretary of the Tenino Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the local Lions Club. She also spent more than four decades working for the state Legislature in different capacities.
As for why she’s running, she wants to continue the recent growth Tenino has seen under Fournier’s watch, which included revitalizing the city’s famous quarry pool and park.
“When he took over as mayor, the city was bankrupt, and the city isn’t bankrupt anymore. We have a healthy budget,” Gotovac said.
With that budget and the city’s growth, she feels the city needs to hire more public works employees to help with local infrastructure. If elected mayor, Gotovac intends to apply for state and federal grants to improve sidewalks and roads in Tenino.
She also hopes to increase parking in Tenino’s downtown area by changing the parking from parallel parking to head-in diagonal parking on side streets like Howard and Olympia.
“I also want to apply for grants for the energy resources in Tenino, and I’d like to be able to help low-income families with grant money as well,” Gotovac said.
When asked why voters should choose her over her opponent, Gotovac stated she likes Watterson as the two of them served together on the Tenino City Council.
“All I can do is tell voters what my qualifications are,” she added.
She hopes to continue Tenino’s economic growth and continue drawing more tourism into the area to fuel the growth.
Dave Watterson
While he is no longer a Tenino City Council member, Watterson still serves on the city’s planning and fire commissions. He is a career firefighter, as well, with 30 years of service in Lacey.
Currently 63, Watterson decided to run for mayor after some community members asked him to run following Fournier’s announcement to run for county commissioner.
“I thought about it, and they insisted I would be a good candidate for mayor, so I thought I’d give it a try, since I think I can make a difference,” Watterson said.
The main reason he is running is to focus on increasing Tenino residents’ involvement with their city’s government as some feel they are being ignored.
“I hear rumblings all the time from people saying things aren’t going right or they aren’t informed,” Watterson said. “I want to focus on ensuring everyone, whether they vote for me or not, will have a voice.”
One issue he hopes to tackle if elected mayor will be lowering Tenino’s sewer and water rates, which are $145 a month, according to Watterson. During his previous time on the council, he and his fellow councilors tried to lower the rates but were unsuccessful.
He would work to create a Tenino composting facility to process and sell solid waste to help lower the rates. Watterson also views infrastructure as an issue as potholes are always a problem on Tenino’s roads.
Another issue he hopes to address is Tenino’s lack of lodging.
“We need something if we want to attract people here and spend money here.” Watterson said. “We need to find ways to keep them in the community here overnight versus going to an event here but then leaving for a hotel in Olympia.”
As for why voters should choose him, he believes his public service sets him apart, as well as his desire to operate with “integrity, honesty and empathy” for everyone in Tenino.
