Ben Hughes is running for council

Ben Hughes, running for Grand Coulee City Council, picks his battles when it comes to the issues, and among them is consolidation of Grand Coulee with Electric City. 

"I love the town, I want to help," Hughes told The Star on Tuesday about why he's running. "We have a really beautiful town full of great people and I want to help those people live a better quality of life if I can."

Hughes, who has lived in Grand Coulee since 2015, is interested in bringing in businesses to the community, which would provide jobs and boost the local economy, and would fill up vacant buildings, which "are kind of an eyesore to me, in my opinion," as Hughes puts it, adding that he'd like to see some "beautification downtown."

One idea Hughes has for accomplishing that would be for vacant buildings to be bought by "an angel investor," or possibly by the city itself, which would then rent those buildings for a discounted price to businesses that are just starting out. After they are established, rent could be raised back to a normal rate.

Hughes mentioned getting a community center built as something he'd like for the community as well. Roads and water lines are also on his radar.

If elected, the position would be Hughes' first in city politics. He'd be wetting his beak, he said, and learning what he is able to do as a council member.

Hughes is a man with many hats, including being patient access manager at Coulee Medical Center, where he also does promotional and marketing work and is on the Revenue Cycle Committee that focuses on making sure the billing of patients and their insurance companies runs smoothly.

Hughes also serves as a commissioner of the Coulee Area Parks and Recreation District. The district manages North Dam Park, where Hughes would like to develop a much better skate park, and hold concerts. Skateboarding and music are both fields he has worked in, still passions of his.

He is also the secretary for the board of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, taking many notes, and the president of a committee for consolidation of local area towns beginning with Grand Coulee and Electric City, a measure which Hughes intends to have on the ballot for November. 

"Combining our resources is the biggest thing," Hughes said on the benefits of consolidation, citing the fire departments and police department as examples. "We'll have more in general, more funding for things. There won't be squabbling over water rights and things like that. I think combining Electric City and Grand Coulee just makes sense. If we combine the governments we'll have more consistent decision making."

A statement on the Coulee Consolidation Facebook page says that "a consolidated Coulee will be a more efficient & effective Coulee. We will be united toward common goals with shared resources. Combining our resources (city employees, fire & police departments, etc) will create the opportunity to focus on aspects of city management that we couldn't before. Parks & Rec., city planning, maintenance, infrastructure development, grant writing for funding projects, business promotion, and much more. A consolidated city will introduce new opportunities focused on improving the quality of life in our community. Together we will have more." 

 Hughes feels that the issue would pass if put to a vote now.

Regarding consolidation as a council position, Hughes said that "being on the council will give me some perspective on everybody, so I can at least get more feedback on it."

He is also a husband and a father of four.

He will face Tracey Justice Wright and Frank Jones for Position #1 on the council, with the primary taking place Aug. 3, ballots for which are being mailed this week. 

Voters will choose between the three candidates during the state's 18-day primary voting period that begins this Friday. Then in the general election Nov. 3, they'll choose between the two who win this primary.