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New Sunnyside Mayor Vicky Frausto wants the community to be part of decisions made at City Hall.
Frausto was selected as mayor in January by the council, taking over for Dean Broersma, who did not seek reelection.
One of her goals is to keep people involved.
"Co-governance means listening sessions, going to community, asking what they need, and inviting them to council," Frausto said.
It also means engaging with and educating voters on the electoral process.
Sunnyside has a council-manager form of government, where the city manager, hired by the council, is in charge of administrative duties. The mayor holds a largely ceremonial and procedural role and acts as chair of the council.
The Lower Valley city of over 16,300 people has faced numerous challenges in recent years, struggling to fund its pool and community center and securing funding for capital projects. It's one of many government entities having to tighten its belt.
The council has also struggled with turnover and distrust from the public, something that Frausto hopes to help change.
"We need stability in City Hall," Frausto said in an interview.
Frausto was first elected to the council in 2023, and re-elected last year. She is the director of operations for ELLA (Empowering Latina Leadership and Action) and ELLA Adelante, a nonprofit that seeks to inspire more Latina residents to be a part of the political process.
The organization encouraged her to move back to her hometown from Seattle to run for her council position in 2023, as a part of a slate of Latino candidates.
"It was a historic race, with that many Latinos stepping up to run for public office," Frausto said.
She now helps lead ELLA programs, such as environmental justice work and leadership trainings.
Frausto is the youngest of six siblings. Her parents moved to Sunnyside from Guanajuato, Mexico, in the early 1980s. When illness left her father unable to work in the fields, her mother founded a child care center and became the primary income provider for the family.
While at Sunnyside High School, Frausto had multiple mentors affiliated with the Migrant Education program and Latino Culture Club. Frausto named Benjie Aguilar, David Rodriguez and Dora Berreras as people who inspired her to dream big and pursue higher education. They helped her with college and financial aid applications, and took students on college tours.
"These folks created opportunity for first generation migrant students," she said. They also took her on a week long tour of Washington, D.C., where she met elected officials and learned about the political process through the Bert Corona Leadership Institute.
She was inspired to go to the University of Washington while on a campus visit. She ended up staying closer to home following the death of her father, attending Yakima Valley College for two years before transferring to UW.
She graduated with a degree in political science and American ethnic studies. She was hired by UW's Labor Relations board, which negotiates with the university's 20,000 employees represented by 10 unions. Working there, Frausto became interested in policy, and got her Masters in Public Administration from Seattle University.
Before moving back to Sunnyside, Frausto also worked in a new role with UW's Professional and Organizational Development program, promoting equity and inclusion within the institution.
Aguilar, a former Sunnyside council member, swore in Frausto when she took the oath of office in January. Multiple people pointed out that the new Latino-majority council is a historic moment for Sunnyside, which is 86% Latino.
Moving forward, Frausto said that communicating with the public will remain a top priority. She also said that she wants to shore up youth programs in the community.
"I commit to doing the very best for the residents of Sunnyside. I want them to feel they are a part of the governance work and the decision-making. I want them to feel empowered enough to question their leadership and bring forth their own vision," Frausto said. "This is a team effort."
Questen Inghram is a Murrow News Fellow at the Yakima Herald-Republic whose beat focuses on government in Central Washington communities. Email [email protected] or call 509-577-7674.
Posted February 17, 2026
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