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Richland council appoints Todd Samuel as interim councilmember after interviews
Summary
After interviewing five finalists in a round‑robin process and holding an executive session under RCW 42.3, the Richland City Council appointed Todd Samuel to fill Position No. 4 through Dec. 31, 2026, by unanimous voice consent.
The Richland City Council appointed Todd Samuel to serve as interim councilmember for Position No. 4 following a round‑robin interview process and a brief executive session on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Councilmembers approved Resolution No. 2026‑10 by voice consent after the executive session; the appointment fills the seat through Dec. 31, 2026.
Council conducted five public interviews for the vacancy, using a standardized format of 11 questions and roughly 25 minutes per candidate. Candidates who appeared were introduced to the council and answered questions about priorities, community strengths and how they would handle controversial issues.
Among the applicants, Bridal Greer described experience on the Richland Housing Authority and her background in development and project collaboration, saying she would run for the seat beyond the appointment period. Kyle Palmer cited Planning Commission experience and said he would focus on land‑use continuity and issues such as parking rollout and the couplet project. Andrew Rice, a retired technical manager, highlighted regional water resources and the city’s technical workforce and asked about data center prospects; City Manager John Amundson answered that a purchase‑and‑sale and a due diligence period are in place tied to Atlas Agro and Port of Benton property and that energy capacity needs factor into the larger project. Samantha Mason, a registered dietitian and Parks & Recreation commissioner, emphasized teamwork, fiscal responsibility and safety. Todd Samuel described decades of local involvement, experience on planning and code boards and managerial experience at a national laboratory; he framed his approach as servant leadership, saying, “We are servants to the people.”
Council followed state law for personnel deliberations, entering an executive session “per RCW 42.3” to evaluate candidates’ qualifications. The executive session concluded with no immediate public action, after which the council presented Resolution No. 2026‑10 to appoint Todd Samuel. Councilmember Meyer moved the resolution and a second was heard; the council approved the motion by general consent.
The appointment is procedural and temporary: the appointee will serve until Dec. 31, 2026, when the next election cycle for that position is scheduled to conclude. The council said it will resume its published workshop agenda after completing the appointment process.
Support for the appointment and the earlier candidate remarks came from a range of council members during the public interview process; no formal roll‑call vote tally with names was recorded in the item’s public action—council announced approval by voice. The city manager provided supplemental information on a separate agenda topic raised during interviews: a land purchase and potential data center component connected to Atlas Agro and Port of Benton property, currently in due diligence.
What happens next: the council concluded this portion of its meeting and moved to the posted workshop agenda; the interim member will be seated and serve in Position No. 4 through the end of 2026 unless a later action changes that outcome.
