SUNNYSIDE -- Over cookies, pretzels and fruit punch, Sunnyside residents mingled Thursday with the four final candidates for their city's new manager.

About 200 people -- everyone from housewives to business leaders to school officials -- came and went during a public "meet-and-greet" with the candidates at the Sunnyside Community Center.

Also, about 50 city employees got the same chance earlier Thursday.

Today, city department heads and City Council members will interview the candidates more formally. The decision is up to the City Council, which may decide Saturday.

The candidates are Mark J. Gervasi, city manager of Tillamook, Ore.; Mark Roath, city manager of McAlester, Okla.; Michael Stampfler, owner and managing partner of CivicQwest Consulting in Portage, Mich.; and Eric Swansen, village manager of Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Thursday's mixer also gave the candidates a chance to share their ideas and priorities.

Stampfler, 57, views all city manager's decisions through the lens of economic development.

"Growing the economy is the thing which all other services of the city government come from," he said.

Stampfler owns a municipal consulting firm now but worked as the city manager of Portage for many years.

Swansen, 42, listed communication as one of his highest priorities.

"To help the community understand its vision and values," he said.

Swansen worked as the city manager for Farmersville, Calif., with an 80 percent Hispanic population. He also has worked for two Washington cities, including Shoreline and Lacey.

Staying nimble is one of the most important jobs of a city manager, said Gervasi, 59.

"I'm a generalist," he said. "You have to know a lot about a lot of things."

In Tillamook, Gervasi points to Safeway returning downtown as one of his big victories. The store had moved to the outskirts, but Gervasi helped them purchase downtown city property after it had flooding problems.

Roath, 59, listed understanding residents' concerns among his priorities.

"Be willing to understand other people's points of view," he said.

A law degree from the University of Tulsa highlights his resume.

Roath once worked as the city manager for Weslaco, Texas, with a population of 96 percent Hispanic.

Getting Hispanic people involved in city government was among the challenges listed in the city's job description. Sunnyside's population is more than 70 percent Hispanic, many who speak only Spanish.

"They want to be able to understand," said homemaker Luz Balderas through a translator. "They want to be able to participate."

All the candidates know at least a few phrases in Spanish and tried them out Thursday night. Roath speaks the most. His wife is from Costa Rica, where he volunteered through the Peace Corps. Swansen has traveled to many Latin American countries and says he can read Spanish pretty well, if not speak fluently.

Everything from safety to staff scheduling also were on residents' minds.

John Hughes, Sunnyside School District safety director, hopes the new city manager fosters even more partnership with the schools. The city recently codified a gang intervention program that works with the schools.

Gordon Kezele ranks public safety high on his list of concerns. Ruth and Leroy Ganser want to see more economic development. Thomas Peterson said the new city manager better understand the state's initiative process.

Developer Nate Bridges complained about the city's four-day work week policy. City offices are closed on Fridays.

"That's the dumbest thing in the world," Bridges said.

Sunnyside has been without a manager since September when the City Council asked Bob Stockwell to resign.

* Ross Courtney can be reached at 930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.