[quote style=”2″]10-Year Umatilla Resident Begins Write-In Campaign[/quote]
Jeff Wheeler sees Umatilla as a “diamond in the rough” and wants to see the city and its citizens reach their full potential.
But the 10-year Umatilla resident isn’t just talking the talk – Wheeler announced Thursday he is running a write-in campaign for mayor. He joins current City Councilor Lyle Smith and former Umatilla Mayor Dave Trott in the race to succeed the late Pat Lafferty, who died earlier this year.
“If you want to see things get better, you have to get involved,” he said. Wheeler and his wife, Ashley, operate an AdvoCare business and serve as the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Development Team. If he were to be elected, Wheeler would have his hands full, but he said he’s ready to make a difference in municipal government.
“Making this decision didn’t come without much thought,” he said. “We sought the advice of trusted friends and community leaders.”
Wheeler said he wants to continue the legacy of Lafferty.
“Pat Lafferty was a good friend of ours and had an incredible heart for the community,” Wheeler said. “He was involved and was making a difference. That kind of servant leadership we found spoke to our hearts.”
Wheeler said he would like to work to make Umatilla a destination location for businesses, families and tourists. The recent closures of some Umatilla businesses concerns him.
“I recently walked downtown and was surprised by the number of businesses that have closed,” he said. “I’d like to help the people and businesses of Umatilla by honoring people and respecting where they are at and help them be the best they can be.”
Wheeler knows not having his name on the ballot puts him at a disadvantage, but he plans to utilize social media and get out and meet as many voters as possible. He’s happy, however, knowing the people of Umatilla have some choices next month.
“The fact that we have three people stepping up and wanting to make a difference is great,” he said. “The voters need to do their due diligence and find out who the candidates are and make their determination as to who best represents them.”
Wheeler said the task of reviving Umatilla’s downtown area will be require participation from everyone – regardless of who wins next month’s mayoral election.
“It’s never about one person,” Wheeler said. “It’s about a team effort. It’s the people in Umatilla and the businesses of Umatilla that need to work together.
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