Irish elected for third term as La Center mayor

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Jim Irish’s tenure in La Center will continue.

Voters in La Center overwhelmingly granted Irish a third term as the City’s mayor with a decisive victory over former La Center council member Troy Van Dinter. Irish outdistanced Van Dinter by about 350 votes, or 68-31 percent.

"People like the vision and direction by which the City is going,’’ said Irish, when asked to explain his interpretation of the lopsided victory. "The citizens gave us their vision and we put an action plan in place and we are marching towards that. I think actions speak louder than words, and in this case, we are backing up our words with actions.’’

Those actions include a tentative $14 million sewer agreement with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe that will pay for upgrades to La Center’s existing wastewater treatment plant as well as an extension to the La Center I-5 junction. A public hearing and a possible vote on that agreement will take place at a council meeting Mon., Nov. 21.

Irish also pointed to completion of a 7-year effort to annex more than 400 acres near the I-5 junction, more than 100 of which is expected to be available for industrial or commercial development to help the City diversify its tax base.

La Center currently receives about $3 million each year in revenue from gambling taxes on its existing card rooms, a figure that represents about two-thirds of the City’s revenue. That revenue could be dramatically reduced if the Cowlitz Tribe completes construction of its proposed mega casino near the I-5 junction.



Irish said he and the La Center council members are also working on a 2012 budget that will include capital improvement projects, such as improvements to the City-owned Holley Park. Irish said Phase I of the improvements to Holley Park could include a skate park, an enhancement of the playground and a spray-type water feature for children.

"That’s the first part, we will go further from there as the budget allows,’’ he said.

Irish also said he and other City staff and officials will continue negotiations with the Cowlitz Tribe on other issues surrounding the proposed casino.

Irish, works full-time as a project manager/aquatic nuisance species program coordinator for the Bonneville Power Administration.