A New York-based film production company, Punched in the Head Productions, is floating the idea of featuring Tenino in a reality TV show.
The head producer of the company read a profile of the city’s mayor, Eric Strawn, and contacted some council members about filming the show.
A camera crew visited Tenino last week to film a pilot and will pitch the idea to television networks.
Strawn said the first few days of filming went well and that he welcomes the attention for his city.
“I think it could be a positive light for Tenino,” he said. “People can see what’s going on.”
Tenino has been mired in controversy since Strawn was elected in November.
Before Strawn was elected, the City Council passed an ordinance stripping the mayor of some powers. Within a few weeks of Strawn’s swearing-in, the former clerk-treasurer installed a gate inside City Hall to prevent Strawn from accessing city records.
Since, Strawn and other council members have been at odds, most visibly during council meetings every other week, during which the tension in the room is palpable and members of the council snipe at one another.
Most recently, it became public that one council member, Frank Anderson, owes the city more than $140,000 in unpaid fines for code violations and water bills. At the most recent council meeting, Strawn attempted to add the issue on the agenda but couldn’t before other council members had approved the agenda.
Residents have been candid about how they feel about the goings-on in Tenino. Many spoke out during the most recent council meeting, and parade-goers on Saturday held signs that said, “Arrest Frank Anderson for theft.”
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.