Commissioner candidates speak at Goldendale forum

KLICKITAT CO. — Both Andy Kallinen and Gene Klejeski are looking to oust incumbent Lori Zoller in the Aug. 4 primary election and become the next representative from District 2 on Klickitat County’s Board of Commissioners.

All three Republican candidates shared their perspectives during a forum at the Goldendale Grange on July 21. With those vying for sheriff also present, law enforcement was a common throughline, as were questions from the audience on hot-button topics like the Carriger Solar project that were directed only to Zoller.

Kallinen is a veteran, certified peace officer and has spent the last three decades-plus with Washington State Parks as a ranger. He also serves on the Union Local 1466 Executive Board and was recently elected to High Prairie’s Community Council. Klejeski has spent his career in the construction trades and the past 10 years as Klickitat County’s Building Inspector. While he doesn’t have any elected experience, Klejeski emphasized his deep knowledge of county infrastructure and the needs of residents.

“I love this county. I love everybody in the community. They truly have helped elevate me when I was down, and they didn’t even know it,” said Klejeski. “That’s why I have a great deal of passion to run as county commissioner; to try and give back to the community who didn’t know they helped me.”

“I pride myself on building relationships, maximizing tax dollars and leveraging the skills and talents of other departments to save taxpayers’ money,” said Kallinen. “Everything I’ve ever done in life, I never did before until I did it. And when I did it, I got pretty good at it.”

The first question focused on public safety and how the candidates would increase the number of available deputies. Kallinen emphasized that recruiting and retaining local people helps mitigate front-end training costs, but it starts with effective budget management by the sheriff. Klejelski said that limiting overtime and pursuing more grant funding — not imposing new levies — would help, while Zoller explained how the current board made funding available for two new positions in the sheriff’s office; they just were never filled.

On working with the Yakama Nation to improve irrigation water availability, Zoller pointed to her progress in the Glenwood Valley and that she’s one of few commissioners to have visited with their tribal council. As a ranger, Kallinen explained how he has several longstanding connections with tribal members, which would “open the door” for him to have meaningful conversations.

They were also asked how they would have handled the reorganization of Klickitat County’s Jail following the deaths of two Indigenous inmates in 2023. Klejeski operates under a proactive mindset as building inspector, constantly looking for problems before they occur, and said that people in distress should’ve triggered more immediate change. Kallinen hearkened back to his time in the military and would have relied on “mission analysis”: gather the experts, analyze the problem, come up with a slate of potential solutions and then implement them based on pros and cons.

Zoller then defended her role in the Carriger Solar project, a 160-megawatt, 1,300-acre installation to be sited off Knight Road just west of Goldendale. While Cypress Creek Energy submitted its application before Zoller took office, she said the company still faced substantial delays despite it choosing to move through the state’s permitting entity as opposed to the county (see related story on A8). That environmental review process then allowed commissioners “to put better ordinances in place.”

In closing, Zoller highlighted bringing “civility” back to the board, initiating the county’s comprehensive plan and preserving employees in the face of dwindling state support as key accomplishments of her first term.

“When you go to Olympia for training, they tell you it’s like drinking from a fire hose — that doesn’t even explain it. I have 30 years of experience, and when I came in, I was running every morning to catch up to speed, understand the job and move forward,” Zoller said. “I would like to come back and help this board and continue our relationship and move forward for the good reasons that we’ve already started.”