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CITY OF SUNNYSIDE PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 4, 2024
Contact: City Manager Mike Gonzalez (509) 836-6300 mgonzalez@sunnyside-wa.gov
Subject: Sunnyside Hires Debbie Zabell as Deputy City Manager/Finance Director
Longtime municipal professional Debbie Zabell has been hired by the City of Sunnyside as the Deputy City Manager and Finance Director. Zabell comes to the City of Sunnyside from the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments (YVCOG), where she was the Finance Director. Prior to her time at YVCOG, Zabell held positions as City Manager and Administrative Services Director for more than a decade for City of Toppenish. Zabell says she’s excited about this new opportunity.
“As a long-time local government professional and having worked in the lower valley for the past fifteen years, I am aware of the financial challenges the lower valley communities face. I will give the City of Sunnyside my best effort during this time of transition, and I look forward to working with the City Manager, staff, and the City Council to make positive changes that we can all be proud of,” said Zabell.
Mayor Dean Broersma said he’s excited to have Zabell join the city. “I would like to welcome Ms. Zabell to Sunnyside. Her experience and depth of knowledge will go a long way toward bringing our city’s financial situation back to where it should be. She has a big job ahead of her and I am confident she will be successful,” said Broersma.
Zabell will officially start her new position on September 16, 2024. She comes to the city in a time of great need. It was recently discovered by new City Manager Mike Gonzalez that Sunnyside is facing a 4-million-dollar deficit. Gonzalez fired the former Financial Director and says he feels extremely fortunate to bring in someone of Debbie Zabell’s caliber.
“Debbie Zabell is a true professional who brings nearly 40 years of municipal experience to the City of Sunnyside. She’s a natural leader who believes in transparency, working hard for her constituents and giving 100 percent to her city. I couldn’t be more excited to have her aboard,” said Gonzalez.
Zabell will begin as a contract employee with a beginning salary of $12,059.00 per month. Gonzalez says the intent is to transition Zabell into a full-time employee.
“Because we are facing such a crisis, the fastest and most efficient way was to bring Debbie on board as a contract employee. I have broad authority in emergency situations and I would certainly say a 4-million dollar deficit is definitely one. We just began a financial audit today and I must say I am shocked at what I’m finding. The attention to detail simply wasn’t there. I know that Debbie Zabell will bring a level of professionalism that is desperately needed at the city,” said Gonzalez.
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