YAKIMA, Wash.-The three finalists for the Yakima City Manager position have been announced.
Yakima Valley Conference of Governments Deputy Director Vicki Baker, former Franklin County Administrator Mike Gonzalez, and Wellton, Arizona Town Manager Richard Marsh, Jr. will all be in town next week to meet the community and interview with City Council, according to the city.
The three finalists will be available to meet the community on July 1 at 6 p.m. at the Yakima Convention Center and will then be interviewed by City Council at noon on July 2 during a special council meeting at City Hall.
According to a City of Yakima press release on the finalists, Baker served as a Yakima County commissioner from January 2020 through November 2020 and has owned and operated a Grocery Outlet store in Yakima since 1999.
Gonzalez was appointed Franklin County administrator in March 2023 and announced that he would be leaving his position in June 2024.
He also served as the economic development manager for the City of Pasco and as the public relations/government affairs director for Franklin PUD. Gonzalez worked as a reporter and anchor for several TV stations from 2002 to 2020, according to Yakima’s press release.
Marsh has been the town manager in Wellton, Arizona since January 2022. Before that, he served as special aid to the mayor in River Rouge, Michigan, city administrator in Ecorse, Michigan, city manager in Bisbee, Arizona, city manager in Inskster, Michigan, city manager in Bangor, Michigan, city administrator in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and assistant city manager, operations in Jackson, Michigan.
The Yakima City Council’s special meeting with the three finalists will be aired live on Y-PAC and streamed through zoom and the city’s website.
