Spokane City Council, south council district
The Candidates
Breean L. Beggs
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 61
- City:
- Spokane, WA
Why he’s running: Beggs is running for a second term amid what he believes is a wave of momentum behind the city. “Spokane is, right now, what I call ‘in play.’ It can really take the next step, and the momentum is strong. I’m someone who brings people together, especially from opposing viewpoints. I have enough knowledge with 3 three and a half years on the council to really facilitate moving forward together.”
His pitch: In his three-plus years on the City Council, Beggs believes he has established himself as a member who brings people together from opposing viewpoints and finds compromise. Beggs has been deployed to find common ground in the city’s approach to emergency communications.
Education: Graduated from Timberline High School in Lacey, Washington. Earned a bachelor’s degree from Whitworth University in 1985 and a law degree from University of Washington School of Law in 1991.
Political experience: Beggs was first nominated to fill a vacancy on the City Council in 2016. He won election to that same seat in 2017. He lost the race for Spokane County prosecutor in 2014.
Work experience: Beggs, an attorney, worked as the director of the Center for Justice from 2004 to 2010. He represented the family of Otto Zehm in a lawsuit against the city. Works as a private practice attorney in Spokane with Paukert & Troppmann PLLC.
Family: Married. Has three children.
Andy Dunau
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 64
- Occupation:
- President and founder of Dunau Associates, a consulting firm
His words: "My perspective is that, we're - as a nation and locally - our politics has drifted both farther to the left and farther to the right. My campaign is about trying to recapture the middle, where we can build consensus and find common ground and get things done."
His pitch: Dunau believes he offers a centrist approach to a City Council race that includes opponents with strong political persuasions, despite the office being nonpartisan. The 28-year resident of Spokane points to his years of service on the Spokane Park Board, particularly his time as overseer of the park system's finances, as experience in making difficult decisions with public dollars that will serve him well at City Hall. Dunau says he would return the council's focus to "basic services," including fixing streets and tamping down crime.
Education: Attended high school in Bethesda, Maryland. Earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Grinnell College, a private liberal arts school in Iowa, in 1981. Earned a master's degree in public administration from New York University in Manhattan, 1986.
Political experience: First run for office. Served on Spokane Park Board from 2011-2016.
Work experience: Founder and president of Dunau Associates, a communications consulting firm that has operated in Spokane for 28 years after Dunau moved from Los Angeles.Executive director of the Spokane River Forum, a nonprofit promoting the health of the river system.
Family: Lives with partner. Has three children.
Neighborhood: Rockwood
Tony Kiepe
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 62
- City:
- Spokane, WA
- Occupation:
- Healthcare consultant with AristaPoint
Why running: Kiepe says he is running to provide a voice on the City Council for those who are not politically progressive. He argues the current council is too ideologically aligned with the left and hopes to be an alternative who ensures “everybody is heard, not just progressives.”
His pitch: Kiepe wants to address the infrastructure needs of neighborhood streets. He believes the city should partner with local nonprofits to tackle the homelessness issue, while also offering “tough love” when necessary.
Education: Attended high school in Memphis, Tennessee. Earned a bachelor degree in biology, with minors in chemistry and business from the University of Memphis, followed by a master's of business administration from the same school in 1996.
Political experience: Kiepe unsuccessfully sought appointment to the City Council in 2016. He ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2017.
Work experience: Kiepe moved to Spokane in 2000 and worked as director of sales at Hollister-Stier, but he was laid off when Jubilant bought the company. He then owned Rapid Refuel, an ink and toner replacement business, before shutting down the business and becoming a health care consultant for AristaPoint. He has since retired and is campaigning full-time.
Family: Kiepe and his wife, Diane, have been married for 31 years. They have four children.
Bruce Vonada
- Party:
- No party
- Age:
- 77
- Occupation:
- Retired pilot, civil servant and college professor
His words: "I don't think (the City Council) should pass an ordinance unless they get rid of three more."
His pitch: Vonada has served in several appointed positions for cities in Washington, Montana and Alaska, including city manager, a building inspector, and as a research analyst with the Washington Department of Social & Health Services. The City Council is spending too much time micromanaging people at City Hall, Vonada said, and should be looking at ways to streamline bureaucratic structures and ensure rules for parking and other laws are being enforced, which would add revenue that could be used to spend on services.
Work experience: Commercial pilot, civil servant in Priest River, Soap Lake, Electric City. Human resources director in Walla Walla County and an adviser to the Pierce County Board of County Commissioners.
Education: Graduated high school in Helena, Montana, in 1966. Earned a bachelor's degree in economics and sociology from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma in 1969. Earned a master's in public administration from the University of Puget Sound, also in Tacoma, in 1978. Continuing education at various colleges and universities.
Political experience: First run for public office.
Family: Married. Two adult children. Nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren.
Neighborhood: Browne's Addition
Complete Coverage
Editorial: Dunau would bring balance to council
Andy Dunau is the rare Spokane City Council candidate who is genuinely moderate. On top of that, he has no desire to pursue issues beyond the scope of the position.
Oil trains at forefront of Spokane City Council race between Breean Beggs and Andy Dunau
Breean Beggs squares off against Andy Dunau in a contest for one of the most liberal-leaning areas of town. Dunau casts himself as a centrist, and says Beggs’ support of a rail initiative fining coal and oil trains is evidence the council doesn’t reflect the values of the city. Beggs says he’s concerned about safety and has worked to improve relationships at City Hall.
Blessings Under the Bridge says its staying put, despite city order to move
Blessings Under the Bridge will continue to serve homeless under Interstate 90 in downtown Spokane
Condon touts progress on environmental policies, chooses not to sign climate change ordinance
The mayor said this week he had continued concerns about the future costs of some of the covenants agreed to by the City Council last month. Spokane has already taken fiscally responsible steps to promote environmental stewardship and will continue to do so, he said. But city lawmakers are puzzled about the law’s chilly reception.
Beggs and Mumm post strong showings in Spokane City Council primaries, Burke and Benn face off in northeast
The two incumbents on the primary ballots for Spokane City Council earned the majority of votes counted Tuesday in their districts. Kate Burke will square off against Tim Benn in northeast Spokane.
Three challenge Breean Beggs for Spokane City Council seat representing South Hill
Challengers seeking Breean Beggs’ appointed seat on the Spokane City Council criticize policies he’s floated on oil and coal trains and ways to pay for more police, but the 44-year-old attorney says that’s just part of the work he’s doing for the city and dismisses labels.
Editorial: Beggs, Dunau should advance in council race
Breann Beggs has achieved important accomplishments, though we worry about his political activism. Andy Dunau, who is supported by former council members Mike Allen and Steve Salvatori, evinces a thoughtful, pragmatic leadership style.
City Council asks Mayor Condon to cap overtime, enhance civilian oversight in negotiations with Spokane Police Guild
In a letter to Mayor David Condon agreed to Monday night, the Spokane City Council requested negotiations with the police union include caps on overtime hours and a more defined role for the city’s Office of Police Ombudsman.
City Council seeks more control of how Police Department uses seized funds
The panel is set to vote on a bill Monday that will put the spending of money seized from suspected criminals under their authority and require regular public reports.
Spokane considers new misdemeanor penalty to combat car theft
Under a new law, entering or staying in a car that isn’t yours would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. The Spokane Police Department said the new law would allow them to charge people who appear to be on the way to committing more serious crimes, like vehicle prowling or auto theft.
Ex-con tortured by gang members asked for protection by the state and instead nearly lost his fingers
The first time that convicted felon Ahmet Hopovac asked the Department of Corrections to let him leave Grant County for Idaho was in January 2011. He argued he was homeless and didn’t have any money. The second time he asked for help was because the Pocos Locos, a well-known gang in the area, were after him. He again wanted to leave the state, fearing he could get hurt, or worse.
City leaders believe Trump’s ‘sanctuary city’ order won’t apply to Spokane
City Council President Ben Stuckart and Councilmen Breean Beggs said Wednesday they don’t believe President Donald Trump’s executive order cutting federal funding to “sanctuary cities” will affect Spokane because officials aren’t impeding the enforcement of federal immigration law.
Knezovich vows legal challenge to proposed oil, coal train ban in Spokane
An independent legal review of a proposal to fine the shippers of coal and oil through downtown Spokane determined it violates federal law, but City Councilman Breean Beggs said he’ll continue to push for signatures. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich signaled he’d block the measure if passed, calling it unconstitutional.
New Chief Craig Meidl, Councilman Breean Beggs say Spokane should hire consultant to mend police-community relations
With some tension still looming over the Spokane Police Department, city officials want to hire a consultant to facilitate “a formal process for reconciliation” with the community.
Editorial: Calm prevails in police search
Fortunately, a compromise was forged between the mayor and two councilmembers, Lori Kinnear and Breean Beggs, who asked for more time to bring in candidates. The mayor agreed to that and to putting Meidl through the same vetting process.