South Whidbey Water Districts and one Fire District

South Whidbey Water Districts and One Fire District

Bayview Beach Water District, Commissioner, position 4

Martin Coombe incumbent martin@marcon.com

Very involved with South Whidbey Parks & Rec
News Flash: Mr Coombe has responded to the questions. Here are his responses:

1. Why are you running for this particular position?

I’m the incumbent and currently serve as the President of the Board, a position I’ve held for the last two years. It’s a small water district of around 450 connections.  Our mission is to provide quality water whilst acting in a fiduciary manner.

2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 

Maintain good financial discipline and continue to grow the Districts reserves to allow work on future capital projects.

If an incumbent, what have you accomplished?

We amalgamated our operations and administrative functions at the beginning of 2019 to both streamline our management operations and save the District money. 10 months in – we are seeing clear results

3.     What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?

 Like many water systems on the island – we are facing aging equipment and a pipe network. Neither aspect is cheap to replace. Balancing the need to replace equipment whilst maintaining financial stability is the challenge we face over the long term.

4.     What relevant experience do you have?

 Served on the Board for over 6 years and as stated – four as Secretary and the last two as its President.

5.     What will be your operating philosophy in office?

 Slowly shifting the District away from being reactive on issues to more proactive. The Board have become more focused on Risk Management, Emergency Preparedness and Conservation. The current Board is experienced, inquisitive and prudent and it’s a privilege to serve with my fellow commissioners.

6.     What message would you like to convey to voters?

 Having clean water is essential in nearly everything society does. Entrusted by the local electorate to continue providing oversight of BBWD’s service would be an honor.

Steven Myres s-e-i@whidbey.com

Freeland building contractor

I have been able to find pretty much nothing about either of these two candidates. Neither of them responded to my questions. I’m afraid I have nothing to go on so can’t make much of a recommendation. Unless there is something bad happening in the Bayview Beach Water District, based on this lack of information I would vote for the incumbent, Martin Coombe.

And now that he has responded, I see no reason to change my initial choice. 

Scatchet Head Water District, commissioner, position 2

Scott Carr incumbent shifting to a different position shwdcarr@gmail.com

1. 1. Why are you running for this particular position. If an incumbent, what have you accomplished?

I  attended Scatchet Head Water District  meetings for 3 years before being appointed. I would like to see us invest and take back our water system and not be totally reliant on contract management and contract engineering.  I see a need to evaluate these services and examine the condition of the water system.

1. 2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position?

Since I have served only a few months, here are a few items. 

Improve maintenance and over sight of our water system

Improve water quality

Emergency Preparedness 

Implement many capital improvement projects

Proper funding of the water system

Better Customer Service

Establish District web page

1. 3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?

Replacing and rebuilding an aging water system

Changing a culture of deferring system improvements for over 20 years

1. 4. What relevant experience do you have?

I retired with over 25 years in Public Water Systems. As an Operator and System Manager, I bring hands on experience to our Water District 

1. 5. What will be your operating philosophy in office?

Scatchet Head Water District system should be in better shape than when I started

1. 6. What message would you like to convey to voters?

We have a lot of work ahead of us. We will have to rebuild a lot of our system (some piping goes back to 1958). The last time the District Board acted on a similar project was 1998 and rates have not been adjusted since 2003. We need Water Commissioners that can plan for future and implement a Capital Improvement Program. My opponent has been the president for the Water District for the last 20 years and has not had the foresight to keep our water system up to date over those years.

Thank you for your vote

Duffy Schoeler incumbent duffy@whidbey.com

1. 1. Why are you running for this particular position?

to continue my 21 plus years in this water district

1. 2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? If an incumbent, what have you accomplished?

I was involved in many major additions such as a new pump house with water treatment equipment and establishing higher water flow at the higher elevations in the district, replacement of older water mains and repainting of the 3000gal water tank.

1. 3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?

Replacement of aging infrastructure , mains, pumps and filters 

1. 4. What relevant experience do you have?

25 years as a technical manager divided between NY Tel and Pacific Bell:  auto mechanic , teletype repair in U.S. Navy and experience on Board of Directors for Scatchet Head Community Club, many years of electrical and plumbing as volunteer with Hearts and Hammers and Habitat for Humanity.

1. 5. What will be your operating philosophy in office?

Produce the best water possible

1. 6. What message would you like to convey to voters?

I want to participate in achieving progress on the new 10 year plan and have ideas for an emergency water system in case of a catastrophic earth quake.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

I went to the district’s facebook page and found complaints about disgusting water, cloudy water, high chlorine content, and broken mains. I did not see any response on the facebook page. 

I see two people who have reasonable expertise in the field. One has been in his position for many years and believes he is doing the best for the district. The other challenges, saying that the district is floating along, moribund, not doing the necessary work. I wish I knew more about these two, but an on-line search proved pretty useless. With so little to go on, , if I were to vote in Scatchet Head, I would vote for Scott Carr.  

Scatchet Head Water District, commissioner, position #3

Victoria Simmons has withdrawn 

Jaquelin (Jackie) Guyette jackie_guyette@hotmail.com

1. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 

1. I have 3 goals...
   1. To ensure high water quality for our residents.
   2. To keep the cost for each resident down.
   3. To ensure that we will not drain our aquifer to the point where we are not able to provide water to the community

2. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?

Communication between the community and the water company/water board. This communication has broken down into personal vendettas. We have community members who are so upset with this break in communication that they are taking matters into their own hands and, as a result, are costing our community thousands in their attempts to get information. I understand their concerns but I believe that there are better ways to deal with it.

What experience do you have?

Not much, to be honest. I have a Bachelor's degree in Science. I have been a community member for 5 years. I DO have experience running meetings from being the president of my 4H club, a part of the WSU IACUC, and a member of the American Association of Laboratory Technicians. I have a history of ensuring that safety and OSHA guidelines are followed, regardless of counter directives.

5.What will be your operating philosophy in office?

 1.Anyone has the right to ask me questions. ANY QUESTIONS!

 2. Anyone is welcome to voice their concerns to me! I welcome it. 

I will always do whatever I can to ensure water quality and keep cost down. This might mean that I propose a community vote on rate changes. I have already lobbied for slower rate changes and have been successful.

1. 1. Message to voters:

I am one of you. I live in this community full time, as opposed to some who try to influence the meetings. I have 3 kids who drink our water, play in our water and bathe in our water. We have a duty to our kids to keep the water clean. We also have a duty to look out for those in our community who are lower income and can barely afford food. These people can not afford a rate hike. We need to find a healthy balance somewhere in the middle! 

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I was going to leave this one out in the interest of brevity, since the opponent has withdrawn. Then I re-read the responses and am rather favorably impressed, particularly with the statement about ensuring compliance with safety and OSHA guidelines in the face of  ‘counter directives.’  Ms Guyette took the time and energy to respond and she seems to have thought about what is involved and how to do it. If I voted in Scatchet Head, I would vote for Jackie Guyette. 

South Whidbey Fire & Emergency Services, commissioner, position 2

Mike Noblet mikenoblet@whidbey.com

I didn’t send Mike the list of questions because he is running unopposed. I happen to know Mike and what he stands for, and he is very thoughtful, very knowledgeable, and intent on doing the right thing. I would have preferred to see Mike take on something bigger, but am happy to support him at any level. Even though he is running unopposed, I will be voting for Mike Noblet.