Tomsic turns down Walla Walla

By Meg Olson

City manager Gary Tomsic was on the short list of candidates for the new city manager in Walla Walla, Washington. He didn’t get the job and, given the outcome of the recent election, he said he wouldn’t have taken it.

“I applied for the position right after the change of government position was filed,” said Tomsic, who spent September 20 and 21 with two other candidates visiting Walla Walla and meeting with city council members and officials. With a population of 30,000 and a $30 million dollar budget, Walla Walla has been without a city manager since April, according to Walla Walla Union Bulletin news editor Tom Skeena, who interviewed Tomsic during the visit.

“I went knowing what the results were, which made a difference,” he said. “We had decided, if selected, not to take the job, and were upfront with them.” On September 18 Blaine voters overwhelmingly supported keeping the council/manager form of government, which meant Tomsic still had a job. “We like Blaine,” he said. “We’re happy in Blaine.”

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