The West Richland City Council has selected an engineer and project manager with deep ties to the region’s nuclear power industry to fill the seat vacated by Fred Brink after he was elected the city’s mayor. 

Dan Richey, who has worked for Energy Northwest and Framatome and its predecessor companies since 1987, was appointed to council Position 6 through 2027. He will have to stand for election in the 2027 general election to retain the seat. 

“In the almost 40 years that my wife and I have lived here, we have seen West Richland go through many changes and transitions,” Richey wrote in his application letter to the council. “I have helped to guide our community and my family through the good times and the challenging times. I hope to continue to be a conservative voice in our community by serving on the West Richland City Council.” 

Richey, who is a U.S. Navy veteran and has been part of West Richland community groups, was selected following a Feb. 25 special board meeting to interview four candidates.  

The other candidates included former council member Nancy Aldrich, construction and project manager Luis Ojeda, and Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business advertising representative Chad Utecht. Aldrich and Utecht currently sit on the city’s planning commission while Ojeda previously was a city planning commissioner.