Big shoes to fill in small Pierce County town. Will it be the millennial or boomer?
Steilacoom, a bedroom community where volunteer activism and cook-offs are a way of life, is having its first open mayoral race in over 20 years.
Former state legislator, Pierce County Council member and 40-year resident Dick Muri was selected as the interim mayor after longtime mayor Ron Lucas, also known as “Mr. Steilacoom”, stepped down before dying earlier this year.
Muri filed to run for the four-year seat last month, as did newcomer Nino Vaccaro. Both candidates are former Air Force members from the East Coast but see different futures for Steilacoom.
Vaccaro moved to Steilacoom in 2017. He separated from the Air Force after six years. He left as a staff sergeant.
The 33-year-old ran for office as a commissioner in Ross Township outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as he was accepted into the Air Force. He has never held public office.
Vaccaro believes it’s important to bring younger voices to local politics. He said he is appreciative of the older generation of public servants, but he believes it’s time for millennials to start getting involved.
““I think it’s time for our generation to stand up, get involved and create that sustainable vision for the future,” he said.
He runs a YouTube channel, commenting on federal politics, and giving commentary like “forced vaccinations” are tyrannical. He wants to erase “identity politics.”
“I think the rampant indoctrination propagandizing of the American people is very alarming right now, and I think a lot of us are taking the bait and not challenging the narrative of what’s coming out from our federal representatives,” he told The News Tribune. “So I said, ‘Well, what can I do? Can I run for politics?’”
His priorities include revitalizing neighborhoods outside of the historic district, preserving the environment, like saving the beaver habitat at Farrell’s Marsh — a town topic of concern — and auditing government spending. He wants property owners to worry less about tax increases and find other ways to bring in local revenues. He also is considering ideas like a farm-to-market co-op.
“That’s coming back to the basics of the American small town where we relied on each other and not the government,” he said.
Muri retired as a lieutenant colonel after 22 years of service and entered local politics. From 1997 to 2004 the Massachusetts native was a Steilacoom Historical School District board member, and from 2003 to 2012, he served on the Pierce County Council, representing the 6th District.
He was elected to represent Steilacoom, Fircrest, University Place, Lakewood and DuPont in the state House of Representatives from 2014 to 2018.
In 2012, he ran as a Republican against incumbent Democrat Rep. Denny Heck for Washington’s U.S. District 10 seat.
Muri helped to establish the Kiwanis Club of Steilacoom in 1993. It now boasts 203 members and lays claim to being the largest Kiwanis Club in the western United States. The club is active, including spending weeks restoring a bandstand in Pioneer Orchard Park. Muri sees it as doing the work the town cannot pay for or spend time on.
Muri, 67, was good friends with the former mayor and considers Lucas a mentor. Muri said he received a call from Lucas before his resignation, telling him to run.
“I want to carry on Ron Lucas’ legacy of efficient management of this town of 6,500 people, and I feel like I have a moral obligation to do this,” he said.
Steilacoom Town Council chose Muri on April 6 to hold the seat until the winner of the November election is sworn in. Muri said it’s been different to be in the executive branch, compared to his 20 years of legislative experience.
He feels Steilacoom has been on the right track, and he wants it to continue.
“All five of the council members are all personal friends of mine. I know the staff real well, and (Lucas) left me a really good hand. The number one advice that I get is, ‘Dick it’s all yours, don’t screw it up,’” he said. “There’s not many changes that need to be done.”
He sees the town’s next project as redeveloping an 83-acre paper mill property that shut down in 2002. The council recently re-zoned the land for mixed use. Muri sees that as the town’s final major development.
The mayor’s annual salary is $9,000. As of June 22, the Public Disclosure Commission reports Muri has received more than $2,600 in contributions while Vaccaro had reported none.
Three council seats are up this year, two of which are uncontested — council members Pete Franklin in Position 1 and Roger Neal in Position 3. In the third race for Position 2, incumbent Marion Smith faces challenges from John Perry, Elizabeth Grasher and Paul Thumbi.
This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
