
Wenatchee City Council Appoints Mayra Navarro Gomez
Longtime educator Mayra Navarro Gomez has emerged victorious from a crowded field of Wenatchee City Council hopefuls.
Originally, more than a dozen applicants stepped up in hopes of filling the void left by outgoing At-Large Councilmember Keith Huffaker. Five finalists, Gomez included, stood before a panel of sitting councilmembers on Thursday. The finalists were asked about a range of issues. Some of Gomez' responses are below.
On homelessness:
"Homelessness is a multifaceted challenge. In my work with youth ministry, we get to visit our homeless population very often; I know many of them by name and I know many of their stories."
"We have to continue partnering with outside agencies - not only to address their basic needs, like eating and shelter, but also their socioemotional traumas and drug addictions. Oftentimes, when I encounter many of these individuals, they share their history. It's pretty evident that the trauma endured at a younger age and is contributing to the fact that they can't be self-sufficient."

"We have to continue leaning on the resources within our community: Catholic Charities, CVCH, Confluence Health. We have to address not only their socioemotional needs, but also their physical needs. When was the last time they saw a dentist? Many of our homeless are missing a lot of teeth, but they don't where to go to get their basic needs met."
On critical infrastructure:
"I was really excited about [the city's] Comprehensive Plan because it aligns specifically to this question. I am all about data and numbers. If we continue to invest our time is looking at five-year, 10-year, 20-year trends, we can be better prepared for tomorrow - today!"
"I think we accomplish that by leaning on our city staff, leaning on outside agencies who are doing the research, and making sure we look ahead: 'Okay, these are the funding resources that we currently have. This is what's allocated to each one of these projects. Which project needs to be prioritized?'"
"What is the people's voice saying? What are our priorities? We need to set aside the things that we don't have the funds to accomplish now. That doesn't mean it's not important work; it's just work that's not going to be done at this moment."
On the importance of delegation:
"The city staff's role is really critical. They are looking at the data; they are looking at the resources and current projects, and they are the ones we lean on to ensure we understand what is happening in the community."
"Our role [as councilmembers] is not to micromanage, but to truly understand. We trust [staff] and we ask clarifying questions. Our role is to continue looking at our projects. How are our future projects aligning and being embedded into our current goals?"
Click here for more. Gomez was also asked about Latino outreach and a hypothetical $1M grant, among other things.
12 Washington Counties with the Worst Homeless Problems
More From NewsRadio 560 KPQ








