Richland Councilmember Ryan Lukson had more absences than any other Tri-Cities councilmember in 2024 while Richland Councilmember Shayne VanDyke attended council meetings remotely twice as often. These two councilmembers failed to be at city hall for council meetings more than Pasco’s seven members combined, online records show.
With the fewest number of meetings of the Tri-Cities councils, 35, Richland council had a total of 46 absences and instances of remote attendance.
“I am pleased with the high level of attendance and engagement that each of councilmembers demonstrates. They are consistently going above and beyond what is required,” Mayor Theresa Richardson responded to an email about the absences and remote attendance.
Lukson was absent for eight of the Richland council’s 35 meetings. Councilmember Shayne VanDyke did not appear at city hall for almost one-third of them. He was absent for two meetings and remote for nine of them.
The Observer reached out to Lukson and VanDyke to ask why they were absent or couldn’t be at city hall for the meetings, and if they felt that remote attendance was the same as being there. Neither one responded.
The Observer researched Kennewick, Pasco and Richland city council meeting minutes, available online, to tabulate the absences and remote attendance of each councilmember and the total number of hours that the councils met.
Two Pasco councilmembers had perfect attendance records on a council with the fewest absences and remote attendance.
Pasco councilmembers’ commitment to their meetings contrasts with Richland’s. They had a total of nine absences and nine remote attendances. Two Pasco councilmembers had perfect records for 46 meetings and about 94 hours of discussion in 2024
Pasco Councilmembers Leo Perales and Melissa Blasdel never failed to be at city hall for a regular meeting or a council workshop. Of the 21 Tri-Cities councilmembers, they were the only ones with a perfect record.
“I’m here to serve. I better be dying if I can’t make it. I’m honored to be a representative,” Perales responded to the Observer on his attendance record.
“I make it a priority [to] make sure I attend in person as much as I can,” Blasdel wrote the Observer.
Under state law absences carry no penalty, but a councilmember can lose their seat if they have three unexcused absences in a row. All the Tri-Cities absences were excused. RCW 35A.12.060: Vacancy for nonattendance.
Kennewick numbers are similar to Richland’s but Kennewick had 10 more meetings .
Pasco and Kennewick have two general meetings and two workshops a month. Richland has two general meetings but only one workshop. The councils generally cancel workshops around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Richland had 30 total absences and 16 remote attendances for 35 meetings. Kennewick had 32 total absences and councilmembers attended remotely 13 times for 45 meetings. Richland met for 55 hours and Kennewick met for 64 hours.
Most remote attendance
Richland City Councilmember Shayne VanDyke had the most remote attendance with nine. No other Tri-Cities councilmember had more than four. With his two absences, VanDyke did not show up at Richland city hall for almost one third of the city council meetings.
State law allows remote attendance for councilmembers, but unlike Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, some cities have added restrictions.
Lake Forest Park City Council Governance Manual states, “Absent extraordinary circumstances, such as an emergency, remote attendance should be the rare exception, not the rule.”
Tukwila restricts remote attendance to a “maximum of five Regular or Committee of the Whole meetings per calendar year;” but allows more for illness or “factors beyond the individual’s control.”
VanDyke began using the remote option soon after he was appointed.
VanDyke began using the remote option soon after he was appointed on July 5, 2022, to fill retiring Councilmember Phil Lemley’s council position.
Since then, he has shown a tendency to go to city hall for the workshops but be absent or attend the general meetings remotely. In 2023 he wasn’t at city hall for 12 of 24 general meetings but attended all the workshops at city hall. In 2024 he was absent or remote for 2 of the 11 workshops but was absent or remote for 9 of the 24 general meetings.
In the two and a half years that he has served, VanDyke has either been absent or attended remotely 27 of 86 meetings, almost one third.
VanDyke did not respond to requests for comment.
Seems as though some Richland City Council members are often serving interests other than those who elected them. #BallotBox
Hi Degerman, I appeciate your comment. Appointed councilmembers like Shayne VanDyke are rarely defeated when they run for the position. That’s why it’s important to appoint someone who has the time to attend meetings and other council functions. I sat in on the interviews of three applicants when VanDkye was picked, and I don’t remember anyone asking whether he knew how much time was involved. Instead, Richardson asked why manhole covers were round. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
Should show up “in person” or quit..
Hi Thoughtful, I appreciate your comment. The unexpected problems do pop up but when the absences/remotes become a habit, it may be time to impose some restrictions. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy