Kelso council names retired teacher to replace Wheeler
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:21 AM PDT
By Amy M.E. Fischer
Printable version
E-mail this articleMonday night, the Kelso City Council appointed a retired Kelso High School teacher/swimming coach to replace Councilman Joe Wheeler, who resigned last month.
Gerald Malella, 62, stood out among the six candidates vying for the East Kelso District seat because of 40 years' experience working with the public and for his interest in expanding Kelso's airport and establishing a new senior center and public library, council members said.
But Malella wasn't a shoo-in for the position. The council voted 5-1 to appoint Malella. First, however, the council deadlocked 3-3 on Councilman Alan Slater's motion to appoint James Webb, a district sales manager for an industrial chemical manufacturer. Mayor David Futcher called for a short recess, after which the three councilmen who'd voted against Webb said they were prepared to change their minds.
Suddenly, Councilman Dan Myers nominated Malella for the appointment. Although some seemed caught off guard, everyone but Slater voted yes.
"I thought it was an interesting process. ... I don't know what I said that they liked, but they apparently bought into something I said," said Malella, who taught math, architectural and mechanical drafting and was a swimming and diving coach in his 30 years at Kelso High School. He also has managed several swimming pools.
Webb was gracious in defeat, saying he supported the council's choice.
"I was surprised it was that close and pleased to be a part of it. ... He's a great candidate and he's got a lot of experience," said Webb, who ran an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Futcher last fall.
Malella must run for election in November to serve out the remainder of Wheeler's four-year term, which expires in 2011.
The other candidates were former Cowlitz County Commissioner Bill Lehning, general contractor Gary Archer and retired Teamster Larry Anderson. This pool of candidates was exceptionally strong, the council said repeatedly, emphasizing how difficult it was to choose among them.
Candidate Benjamin Harrison, who made a failed bid for Longview City Council last fall, learned Monday he was ineligible to run for Kelso council because he lived in Longview until January. The two years he lived in Kelso before moving to Longview didn't count toward the requirement that candidates live in the city for a year prior to running for office, City Manager Paul Brachvogel said.
Malella made no bones about what the council would be getting if he were appointed. He's open minded but opinionated, he said.
"If you're looking for a 'yes man,' I'm probably not your person," he said. "If you've got something and I think you're wrong, I'll let you know."
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