Thursday, October 17, 2019

North Whidbey districts

North Whidbey

North Whidbey Pool, Park, & Recreation District, Commissioner, position 1
Christopher Wiegenstein cjwiggie71@gmail.com
1.     Why are you running for this particular position?
I am running for NW Pool, Parks, & Recreation Commissioner because I feel bringing my experience to this board of commissioners will benefit the pool, dog park and baseball fields collectively. I grew up here on North Whidbey. As a young person I was a member of the swim team. This experience taught me many qualities about myself and tools which have helped me in my life. I currently frequent the Clover Valley off-leash dog park with my dog, Winter. 
 2.     What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 
My hope is to bring experience as a board member on various boards throughout the years to the NW Pool, Parks, & Rec. While there I hope to encourage more community involvement. I would like to see the board be transparent and continue to grow programs for our community. 
If an incumbent, what have you accomplished?
 3.     What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
My goal of transparency to the community is important. Our tax dollars should be accounted for always and allow for community input to help us guide the commissioners’ decisions. 
 4.     What relevant experience do you have?
I have been a part of many boards for non-profits throughout the last 10 years. My knowledge of and understanding of the North Whidbey community as a result of growing up here. 
 5.     What will be your operating philosophy in office?
Community inputs prior to decisions being made is vital for an informed board when making critical decisions. 
 6.     What message would you like to convey to voters?
I would like the voters to know I am here to work for them and need their input to assist in making NW Pool, Parks, & Rec District even better than it has ever been. Our community assistants should have the voice of the people considered and I hope to be that person for our community. 
Respectfully,  Christopher Wiegenstein, MS, LMHC, CDP

John Chargualaf zepp12@comcast.net no response


Whidbey News Times 11-30-18 Chargualaf is cited as interim swim coach. 
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Well, I tried. I could find nearly nothing about Mr Chargualaf. It appears that he teaches Criminal Justice at Oak Harbor High School and coaches the swim team. I sure wish he had responded to the questions. By sheer default, because I can find nothing about the man, if I voted in Oak Harbor, I would vote for Christopher Wiegenstein.



North Whidbey Fire & Rescue District, Commissioner, position 2
http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/candidates-for-fire-commissioner-share-differing-visions/
Marvin D Koorn popkoornm@yahoo.com
  1. 1. Why are you running for this particular position?
I have been involved with North Whidbey Fire for 39 years as a volunteer,  volunteer Chief, career Chief and the last two years as a Commissioner. I want to see the department continue to be financially responsible and continue to serve our community with volunteers and part time employees.

  1. 2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 
I hope to live within the budget the tax payers entrusted to the department while remaining safe and efficient.
If an incumbent, what have you accomplished?
As Chief we purchased four rebuilt fire engines at less then 40% of new cost having over 70% of their usable life left. I enabled the department to  purchase 2 new tender pumpers that gave us tender credit plus back up engine credit for insurance purposes. The department also was able to build  a new fire station and purchase a new administrative building, all with cash and having maintained a balanced budget. 
  1. 3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
I hope to increase the lack of volunteers who are under appreciated. I also want to  spend the money entrusted to the department more efficiently and effectively. 

  1. 4.     What relevant experience do you have?
I have 39 years experience in the fire service, serving our community.
  1. 5. What will be your operating philosophy in office?
My philosophy is the efficient and effective use of the resources that the tax payers have entrusted to the commissioners, also maintaining a safe environment for the fire fighters. 

  1. 6. What message would you like to convey to voters?
My 39 years of experience maintaining  the department with over 100 volunteers,  purchasing rebuilt fire engines, building a new station and purchasing an administrative building all while maintaining a balanced budget makes me the ideal candidate for this position.  


Theresa Jenkins tj.northisland@gmail.com
. Why are you running for this particular position? 
My involvement with North Whidbey Fire and Rescue began with family and friends. This involvement has given me the unique perspective of the department of both today and in the past. I have witnessed firsthand the frustrations with coverage, training, and leadership.
Currently, their biggest struggle is the lack of trust in the current Commissioner Board. Firefighters and the public have spoken at many Commissioner Meetings about the lack of transparency and failing to give a clear plan for the future of the District. How can a department function efficiently and effectively when there is no faith in their leadership?
Add to that the lack of personnel due to resignations and retirement, and this District is reaching a critical point where our firefighters and the public could be put in danger. 
2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 
My goal for this position is to bring a much-needed change. For too many years, the Board has been filled with retired Firefighters or Chiefs. This experience is not a requirement of the position, and by sticking to this tradition, we have failed to bring an outside voice or different perspective. It has made the Board stagnant and opposed to change. 
Per the Washington State Commissioners Handbook, the Commissioners job is being responsible for governing the operations of the District by:
  1. • Determining levels of service and establishing goals. 
  2. • Determining type and level of funding, approve budgets, tax levies. 
  3. • Establishing policies and approve operational procedures. 
  4. • Employing key personnel, supervising chief. 
  5. • Guiding strategic planning. 
  6. • Representing the District to the public.
The Commissioners should be providing the Fire Chief, District Employees and the public a clear strategic plan and budget. They should then allow the Fire Chief to see that those items are carried out. Currently, the Board has had too much involvement in the day to day operations of the District. That is not their job; their job is to provide the Fire Chief the tools to run a thriving district while maintaining an open line of communication with all parties. A good working relationship will allow items to be addressed in a timely and fiscally responsible way. 
As a Commissioner, I believe that we are the voice of the department in the community. We need to be involved in the county and city and sharing the vision of the department. We also need to be more open and approachable. Our position is voted in by the taxpayers, and they deserve to be heard. We need to listen and address their concerns. 
I hope to be able to bring a fresh perspective and approach. NWFR is no longer a district of 300 emergency calls a year. The District is averaging over 2400 fire and medical calls a year. That number is only going to continue to go up with the increase in housing in the county. This District needs to evolve and grow, and I hope to be able to bring my voice, support from the Firefighters and public to make it better for everyone. The Firefighters and Community deserve this. 
3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate? 
My goal for the first 12 months of my term is to address what I feel are the three most critical items:
1. Personnel Recruitment and Retention
Currently, North Whidbey Fire and Rescue has a crisis level personnel issue. They have lost 23 firefighters and support staff, and a lot of their volunteers are nearing retirement. The department has got to evolve and grow. Currently, the firefighters of NWFR are paid between $12.50 - $15.50 per hour without any benefits or vacation pay. This type of pay forces the members to hold 2 or 3 different jobs to support themselves and their families. We need to come up with ways to get the pay scale and benefits at neighboring district levels and offer incentives to promote advancement and retention. If we don't start offering training and advancement opportunities, our firefighters will continue to leave for better positions. The District is no longer a department that can survive on volunteers. The amount of emergency calls currently being received requires training, staffing, and growth within the District. 
2. Facilities and Apparatus
These two items are my most frustrating topic. 
My opponent has outlined his history of paying cash for apparatus and new stations during his time with the department. The issue has become that the other stations and apparatus have failed to be maintained properly.  He and the other Commissioners have shown the mindset that they are not willing to spend the budget set forth for facilities and equipment. This attitude from the Commissioners has resulted in facilities failing to be adequately maintained or having any updates in far too many years. Our firefighters live with peeling linoleum, stained and worn carpets, and broken furniture. The stations all need paint and updating. They deserve to be proud of the stations they represent. 
The district equipment attitude has been focused on a "fix it if it breaks" view. Because of this approach from leadership, the equipment has not followed a regular maintenance schedule. This attitude has resulted in engines requiring a large number of repairs or the recommendation of replacement within the next two years. 
Firefighter equipment. Their fire bunker gear is at or nearing age limits; their air bottles are nearing max-age. They do not have the proper washing facilities or replacement gear to lessen their exposure to carcinogens. They deserve safe and up to date equipment. Their safety should be an utmost concern. 
3. Strategic Plan:
For too many years, this department has survived without a clear and concise strategic plan. If North Whidbey Fire and Rescue is to grow and evolve, we must develop a long-range plan. The plan needs to be provided and explained to the department and the public. This transparency will provide everyone with a clear picture of the future and where the department is headed. Being transparent will bring loyalty from the department personnel and support from the community. 
Our job as Commissioners is not to deal with the day to day operations; it is to deal with the budget and big picture. 
I have no grandiose ideas that everything is going to be solved magically in the first 12 months. But if we can provide the District with a strategic plan for the items above in the first year, the District will gain support, and we will be able to plan its future needs. You cannot plan fiscally in regards to grants or future funding without a clear picture of the coming needs of the District and the support of the community and department.
4. What relevant experience do you have?
As I have stated many times, I do not have fire experience. My background is in banking, lending, and management. I commend my opponent for his years of fire service, but that is not a requirement of the position. This history of only voting in Commissioners with fire experience has become a detriment to the department by not bringing in an outside perspective. 
My business and office background, I believe, will allow me to assist the Fire Chief when it comes to personnel, marketing, and public relations issues. 
Another aspect that has been missing from this department is open communication and a voice in the community. Our job is to be the Representative of the Department by being involved and a presence in the community. People will not support a department they know nothing about. My involvement with many of the local organizations in the area brings me an opportunity to speak and gain support for the department. 
5. What will be your operating philosophy in the office?
Having a business background, I have a much different philosophy than my opponent. I firmly believe you need to place good people in key positions and allow them to do their job. If you interfere in the daily operations, you break the chain of command, and the department loses faith in its leaders. 
As Commissioners, we need to focus on the Big Picture of the department. We must allow the Fire Chief we hire to do his or her job - which is to lead this department and personnel according to the Strategic Plan and Vision we have set forth. We become involved only when he or she is not following the directive that has been set. We must have faith and open communication, not interference.
You also have to give them the tools to succeed. That involves the ability to recruit and hire personnel, the organizational systems to assist them in their daily operations effectively and efficiently and a clear vision and their expectations for the future. All of these things have been missing from the department for too long. 
6. What message would you like to convey to voters?
The most important message I would like to convey is: it is Time for Change. The community is growing, and this department has got to grow with it. If the department does not evolve and plan for the future, then there will be no department and personnel to answer the call for assistance. 
The Firefighters and the Community deserve transparency and a clear vision for the future of the department. 
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
I was frankly undecided about this position, so I asked someone in another fire district whose judgement I respect. His opinion: “A quick review tells me Theresa is the superior candidate.” Here is his follow up: “Theresa is far superior to her opponent. She hits on all key issues I am concerned about and does it in a thoughtful well-reasoned manner.  One key reason she is needed is because she is not a fire fighter, but one who comes with good business background so she can ask the tough questions of staff – something I will be doing if (or dare I say when) I become a commissioner.”

If I voted in Oak Harbor I would accept my friend’s good counsel and vote for Theresa Jenkins. 





Penn Cove Water & Sewer District, commissioner, position 2

1.     Why are you running for this particular position?
Provide geographic diversity on the Board. Improve water quality and customer service.

2.     What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 
Provide uniform service to all customers at appropriate cost. 

3.     What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
Customer service is not uniform and costs are not appropriate.

4.     What relevant experience do you have?
 Have been a customer of multiple and various types water and sewer utility services for 85 years.

5.     What will be your operating philosophy in office?
Cooperate with fellow Board members to enhance customer satisfaction.

6.     What message would you like to convey to voters?
 Penn Cove Water & Sewer has some serious issues that need to be addressed.

Jennifer Swenson islandjennphotography@gmail.com no response
No relevant info on-line. She has a facebook page about her photography services.
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Well, this is truly frustrating. At least one of the two candidates responded. I have not been able to find anything at all about the second, except that she has a photo business. If I voted in the Penn Cove Water District I would close my eyes and stab at the paper. There is simply not enough information available.  I suppose you might vote for Bob Genereaux just because he actually responded. Your call. 




Posted by at No comments:

Oak Harbor City Council and Mayor

Oak Harbor
I have relied heavily on the 9-20-19 story in the Whidbey News Times about the Chamber of Commerce candidates’ event. Thanks both to the Chamber and the News-Times.
http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/city-council-candidates-focus-on-development-at-forum/

Oak Harbor City Council, position 1

no response
Because she failed to respond to my posted questions, I had to do some actual research. I found answers to my questions in her on-line postings. 
A resident of Oak Harbor since 1985, Tara Hizon is a graduate of Oak Harbor High School and has been an active community volunteer since her early teens. 

Tara is currently serving her second term on Council, where she encourages a high level of communication and community involvement. Her leadership philosophy is to embrace technology and cultivate responsible, long term solutions through proactive planning. She is Certified in Advanced Municipal Leadership.

Tara is employed full-time at Island County Human Services, serving as the Community Coalition Coordinator for the Oak Harbor Youth Coalition, which focuses on substance abuse prevention. She holds a Certification in Prevention Science and serves on the Interpersonal Abuse training workgroup, WA Association for Substance Abuse & Violence Prevention, and the Youth Marijuana Prevention & Education Program strategic planning committee.

In addition to advocating for local youth, Tara volunteers for a number of organizations and events, including:
Association of WA Cities
Driftwood Days
Hydros for Heros
Island Co. Dept. of Emergency Management
National Night Out
Oak Harbor Public Schools
Oak Harbor Music Festival
Point in Time homeless count
Queer Pride on Whidbey
Seattle Pride Foundation
United Way of Island Co

Passionate about youth, the environment and the arts, she can frequently be found both on and off stage at the Whidbey Playhouse, participating in beach clean-up efforts or beachcombing with her two nieces.

The News-Times reported that at the Chamber event, Tara Hizon ‘touted’ her accomplishments:
~ Efforts to get council meetings streamed on line
~ Security cameras at Windjammer park
~ “criticism is not leadership. What we need is ideas.”
Q – what would you do with a $5mil budget windfall? A- residents should be able to vote on a list of options. She had to explain to Mack that $ is not free to spend but is allocated by project or program.
Found it necessary to explain the 1% limit on property tax increases, less than inflation. 

She supports the street repair tax. She says fixing streets is vital to economic development. “if we aren’t willing to invest in our community, why would we expect anyone else to?

Michael Crawford mcrawf59@msn.com no response

Oak Harbor Church of the Nazarene “Small Groups”. https://ohnaz.com/small-groups/Men  Mike Crawford plans events geared to guys’ interests as well as working toward small cohort groups that help men grow spiritually.

I have read through some very long winded (I should talk) facebook entries, and have to conclude that there are some serious internal contradictions here. On the one hand, growth is good, more, more, etc. On the other hand, not that kind of growth. We don’t want those poor people living in affordable housing right in the middle of downtown where everyone can see them. Not quite in those words, but that’s what it comes down to. 

There’s the usual appeal to fear: “public drug use, open vagrancy, panhandling.”  Yes, its true. As a result of the fascist coup which took over our federal government in 2016 there are many more people hurting. They’re going hungry, doing without basic medical care, and often without shelter. Mr Crawford’s approach appears to be that ‘those people’ should go hurt somewhere else and not make themselves so obvious in Oak Harbor. 

He then proposes that the city work with the Navy and developers to deal with the housing shortage. Fact is, the Navy could address any military housing issues any day, any time. The claim that the Navy is the single biggest economic driver has been demonstrated not to be the case. Its so easy to tote up the plus column, but somehow no one is paying attention to the minuses. That would include the lack of workforce housing. And it would include the social problems that go with such a lack. I seriously doubt that developers are actually going to provide affordable ‘workforce’ housing. What we will see if we turn those people loose is the sprawl of the 1980s which led to passage of the Growth Management Act. 

Mr Crawford at one point claimed that the city had no long term plan. That leads me to conclude that he does not know a whole lot about city governance and state law. The Growth Management Act, GMA, was passed in 1990 and slowly implemented throughout the 1990s. GMA requires that every city and county adopt a Comprehensive Plan, complete with a Public Participation element. That Comp Plan must then be reviewed and updated periodically. Right now I think we’re up to every 8 years. One of the 13 ‘elements’ of the Comp Plan is Affordable Housing. It might do Mr Crawford some good to read the city’s Comp Plan.

He opposes the street repair tax because, he says “there must be some other way.” Fine, but then let’s hear about that ‘other way.’ The fact is that the city has been in the business of maintaining its road infrastructure for a very long time. True, it may have fallen behind, but as Ms Hizon points out, thanks to Mr Tim Eyman, property taxes may not be increased by more than 1%/year. Now check out the rate of inflation, which last time I checked was in the 3% range. Notice a discrepancy? It becomes impossible for the city (or any other jurisdiction in Washington) ever to catch up. So things slip. And no, there is not a hidden pot at the end of the rainbow waiting to provide the missing funds. Its up to the people in the city to decide what’s important to them and then grit their teeth and pay for it – which is precisely what Ms Hizon is saying.  

On his facebook page Mr Crawford accuses Ms Hizon of failing to attend meetings, suggesting that she picks and chooses which meetings to attend depending on the agenda. It would be interesting to hear what she has to say on the subject. He accuses her of failing to support “our NAVY brothers and sisters” but being present to vote on the Low Income Housing project. He then goes to great (and somewhat vituperative) lengths to discuss how very wrong that decision was. What he and the business community evidently fail to comprehend is that more people in the downtown area is a good thing, not a bad thing. He displays the common inherent bias toward poor people. There’s something wrong with them. They don’t belong here. I applaud Ms Hizon for supporting this project. 
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
News Flash: Half or more of Michael Crawford's campaign funds come from a company called Tri-Son Investments - which just happens to own Wright's Crossing, the company currently suing Island County in the state Court of Appeals for failing to amend its Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to allow construction of 1500 houses on farmland in the Monroe Landing area. They've lost three times in court, so now they're buying their way onto the city council. And Michael Crawford doesn't seem to have a problem with taking their dirty money.

Basically, what I see is a strong young woman doing good work being challenged by the same old same old – older white authoritarian economically comfortable Navy loving male who has no problem with being in bed with a developer. If I could vote in Oak Harbor I would stick with Tara Hizon. 




Oak Harbor City Council, position 3

Jeffrey Mack info@jeffmackforcitycouncil.com responded
Here is his response:  
Thank you for reaching out to me. It has been a very hectic campaign along top of running my business here in Oak Harbor. I read over all of your questions, and all of these are answered on my website www.jeffmackforcitycouncil.com. Please read it in its entirety. I know it is a lot of information, but there are many issues facing our community. 
Kind Regards, 
Jeff Mack

First off, thanks a lot, guy. What I take away from that response is that you consider your time much more valuable than mine. I found it a bit rude. I did in fact peruse the website, and find that Mr Mack exemplifies just about everything I dislike about Oak Harbor. He bemoans what he claims is a lack of plans to guide the city into the future. As mentioned in my comments on Mr Crawford, there is in fact such a plan in place. Many of them, in fact. When running for office it is good to do one’s homework.

What really fried my cookies was his claim that a good plan is not that hard to devise, and that investors and ‘smart people’ should get together and create one. Mr Mack has evidently forgotten that the city is comprised of people – the public – and that those people have an absolute right to participate in the development of plans which will guide their future. Not all of those people are investors or ‘smart.’ The implication of that statement is that none of those people count. That is anti-democratic and I automatically disqualify anyone making such a statement.

He’s also against the street repair tax. I’ve written about that in comments on Mr Crawford.

And now I discover that he is a nearly wholly owned subsidiary of Wright's Crossing. See news flash below.


Joseph Busig jbusig4oakharbor@gmail.com responded

1.     Why are you running for this particular position?
I am running for this position because I want to make city council a people's council. For too long has Oak Harbor been represented by the same kind of people. I recognize that I am a cisgender white male, but my platform and privilege I hold shall be used to raise the voices of the undeserved. I will be a working class voice on the city council that amplifies the voices of disenfranchised citizens such as people of color, LGBTQIA+, women, union workers, disabled folks, youth, seniors, and immigrants and refugees. Oak Harbor has not been transparent, lacking outreach and accessibility to its residents. We must have more public forums, advertise more, and ensure that community boards are reflective of the community that they serve. 

2.     What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 
When elected, I hope to accomplish making Oak Harbor a more accessible and equitable place for all. Construction of safe workforce housing, the installation of renewable energy generators creating good living wage union jobs, the creation of a citizens coalition that brings minority groups and union workers together to pass civil rights and labor rights ordinances, and making government accessible to the people through public forums and canvassing will be my main goals to focus on.  

3.     What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
The problems I see in Oak Harbor are those of housing unavailability, homelessness, and a lack of government transparency or outreach. That is why we must work with city officials and state groups and legislators to plan safe, equitable, integrated, and suitable workforce housing for the citizens of Oak Harbor. With the homelessness, we have to work more closely with our state representatives to find ways to fund programs such as treatment facilities and or resource centers where homeless citizens can be linked to resources, addiction recovery, careers, schooling or apprenticeship opportunities, voting, and housing. In regards to a lack of government transparency, we seldom have public forums in regards to ordinances passed or community projects. We should be having monthly public forums aside from regular council meetings. We should also fix how public comments can be submitted. Currently, public input can only be acknowledged if the resident is present and speaks before the council. This is unfair to working class citizens who do not have the time to make meetings or residents with lack of accessibility to transportation or are disabled themselves. I propose making public comments not just be in person, but via a phone call, recorded message, video call, letter, or email to attain the voices of all community members where possible. 

4.     What relevant experience do you have?
The relevant experience I hold is I was a student representative on the Oak Harbor Public Schools School Board for a year. While I held no voting power, I was able to review fiscal year budgets, oversee levies, and speak on behalf of all students within the school district. I also campaigned for the fully funding of education during the McCleary decision and spoke with community officials as well as small business owners. I have been a member of the Citizens Against Domestic & Sexual Abuse (CADA) Board of Trustees for four years, and recently elected the Treasurer. In my basic member position, I was responsible for creating events and community outreach for CADA. As Treasurer, I oversee monthly budget reports and report my findings with the board, after meeting with the financial manager. Finally, I have been a part of the Oak Harbor Youth Coalition for four years where I have been a representative of both the high school and college students in regards to issues impacting the youth of Oak Harbor. I have the capabilities to oversee city budgets, fiscal year reports in a government as well as non-profit setting, and be a suitable representative to all the citizens of my constituency. 


5.     What will be your operating philosophy in office?
My operating philosophy in office is to never forget who I serve. I grew up in a low income working class environment, coming from an abusive childhood. I have a unique perspective that not many elected officials can say that they have experienced. As a young adult, bisexual man, and devoted public servant I strive to make the place I live a better one. I recognize the privilege I hold, and will use my platform to amplify the voices of the underserved and underrepresented. Low income residents, the working class, people of color, LGBTQIA+ residents, youth, disabled folks, small business owners, and unions need an active voice that will always campaign with them and elevate their voices. Because a community, government, or any position of power should reflect those of the people they serve. People should never seek an office for entitlement, rather to participate in servant leadership. The power belongs to all the people, and I will never stray from this cherished belief. 

6.     What message would you like to convey to voters?
I will be a sounding board for the people, amplifying the voices of those seldom sought out. I'm running to inspire a movement with a message that your local government belongs to you. It should look like you, fight for you, care for you, and assist you in finding resources or connecting you to higher levels of government. I want to inspire engagement from groups left out and unheard. To remind the working people we have a voice, and when we organize we cannot be silenced. We don't need status quo or more of the same, we need bold solutions and actions. Encouraging women, people of color, working class people, disabled residents, LGBTQIA+ residents, and youth to seek office is the true goal of this movement. Together we can fight for affordable workforce housing, a clean environment, renewable energy, community involvement, civil rights, union and tenant rights, education, public transportation, and infrastructure. Because city council must be the people's council, and it is with the people that power lies.  

On 9-20-19 the Whidbey News Times reported that Joseph Busig stated he will represent the working class; he supports affordable workforce housing, but it needs to be near public services & ADA compliant. 
He favors the street repair tax. 
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

News Flash: Jeffrey Mack appears to be joined at the hip, and at the campaign contributions, with fellow candidate Michael Crawford. Both of their campaigns have accepted large sums from a single Nevada corporation, Tri-son, amounting to half or more of their total campaign contributions. Tri-son, as mentioned above, is the owner of Wright's Crossing, the company suing Island County, insisting on its right to develop where, when, and how it likes in spite of codes, planning, or regulations. One presumes that, in this era of quid pro quo, that Wright's Crossing considers those contributions as an investment. It is rather openly buying seats on the Oak Harbor city council. Color me 1) not surprised and 2) disgusted. 

I’m loving seeing the new young blood rising. I’ve heard Joseph Busig speak and very much like what I see. He is young and still idealistic. He truly cares about what happens to people. If I were voting in Oak Harbor I would be voting for Joseph Busig.



Oak Harbor Mayor

Pat Harman patharmanformayor@yahoo.com responded
He was using a cell phone and could not type answers into it, so chose to phone me instead.
He invited me to visit his website: www.patharmanformayor.net and said it linked to a sympathetic story in the News Times by Jessie Stensland. I reviewed both and found them consistent with our conversation.

To the questions:
1. Why are you running for this particular position? 
Somebody’s got to do the job who understands how government works. He was a legislative aide in Alaska so knows the ins and outs. He used the sewage treatment plant as his prime example of fiscal mismanagement. The plant is exorbitantly expensive, unnecessarily so. He felt the city should have asked the voters before embarking on this venture. Since I attended the many public meetings on this very subject, I asked when he arrived in Oak Harbor. He said he lived in Alaska until 2000, when he moved to Bothell. It was in 2006 that he came to Oak Harbor. He acknowledged that he had not been there during the design phase. He also said he would likely not have attended those meetings because he doesn’t like to attend meetings. I suggested that this might be a handicap as mayor, but he said he knew ways around that. He said the city had borrowed $90 million at 2% interest to pay for the treatment plant. That translates to $333k/month out of the general fund for the next 30 years. The lack of that funding, he said, has an adverse impact on business. It is financial irresponsibility to saddle the city and the taxpayers with that cost. He also cited the issue of deferred maintenance and how that is costing businesses. Because the boat lift at the marina was not maintained and dredging was not done, the Regatta, which pumped significant amounts of revenue into city merchants, has moved elsewhere. They closed the RV park and pump station to build the sewage treatment plant but then never reopened it. This is costing local merchants. He feels the present mayor is just plain bad for business.

2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position?  He wants to build a municipal airport, which would be good for business. He wants to draw in investment capital, and those people fly in their private jets. A local airport would serve that purpose. Around the airport he would develop a business park and a medical office building. Medical specialists could then fly in to practice their specialty on a rotating schedule. I asked about potential locations and he cited Wes Lupien field on Monroe Landing road “or any old cow pasture.” He said he would even ask the Navy about sharing OLF, but acknowledged that probably would not work. 

3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate? He pretty much covered it above.

4. What relevant experience do you have? He worked for NOAA for 20 years, part of that time as director of their information center, an executive position. He said he knew how to work in a large organization.

5. What will be your operating philosophy in office? Total transparency. He will institute at least monthly outreach via newsletters, emails, etc. He proposes to add fiscal notes to all government actions. That note would remain with the proposed action, and be amended as the proposal is revised and updated. When the action/decision is finally made, the note would be attached to the final archived document.

6. What message would you like to convey to voters?  Financial responsibility. He said that once he got the city on the right track, he would resign in favor of the mayor pro-tem. In any event, he would not run for a second term. His entire intent is to get the city onto a fiscally responsible track and then to exit. 


Bob Severns incumbent rseverns1@gmail.com   no response
I have now heard complaints from several parties to the effect that Mayor Severns has lost interest in the job and is simply no longer doing it. One party claimed that Mrs Severns is running the mayor’s office. Others said that he “has been rather passive”, both in his duties as mayor and in his re-election campaign. Its hard to get excited about someone who evidently is not interested in doing the job.

The 9-20-19 Whidbey News Times report on the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce meeting said
“Severns emphasized the differences. He’s been in Oak Harbor a long time, has been a successful businessman, a council member, chair of the  NAS Whidbey Task Force. He believes that Oak Harbor’s relationship with the Navy is key.

In fact, he believes it is so key that he has asked the Attorney General to call off the lawsuit concerning Growler noise. He called the case “an irresponsible waste of resources and unjustifiable to the majority of (his) constituents.”   “Your action could also adversely affect future Navy decisions, which could cripple the economy in our Pacific Northwest and leave us without the protection and support that we value as a community and a state,” he wrote in his letter to Ferguson. Severns is convinced that its all a plot by AG Ferguson to close down NAS Whidbey.

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

I am by no means convinced that Pat Harman is the best man for the job. But I am quite convinced that Bob Severns is not the man for the job. Mr Harman has said that at most he will serve out a single term. Seems to me that the good people of Oak Harbor should be able to find a truly competent, informed, well intentioned person to run for mayor in 4 years. Meanwhile, if I were voting in Oak Harbor, I would vote for Pat Harman.




Posted by at 1 comment:

Oak Harbor School Board

Oak Harbor School Board, Director, position 2

Jessica Aws, incumbent Jessica.erin.aws@gmail.com
1. Why are you running for this particular position?
In December of 2017, I was appointed to Oak Harbor School Board Director, Position 2. It has been a fantastic experience thus far, and I would like to continue to promote and support whole-student achievement through planning, policies, advocacy, and administrative accountability. I also believe that my experience as a young, educated, professional woman provides a much-need perspective at the leadership table. I work closely with the OHSD schools in my professional life as a youth librarian, and I am passionate about advocating not only for our students, but also for our teachers and support staff. We have an amazing district that is achieving great things, and it is because our teachers and staff are tirelessly encouraging, supporting, and advocating for our students. It is an honor to serve them and support their work and the work of our students in every way possible.  

2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? If an incumbent, what have you accomplished?
I hope to continue to oversee our district on the path of success by being actively engaged in policy making, budget oversight and accountability, and representing community interests. I am thrilled to support the district’s efforts towards sustainability and career and technical education, in particular. I am also very interested in long range facility planning, ensuring that our students are able to thrive in safe, updated, efficient buildings and grounds. 

3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
Our district is in an excellent place right now, with no glaring issues. I will continue to advocate for our teachers and students to legislators, especially on key issues such as delinking standardized tests and graduation. This would allow students whose grades, coursework, and credits show that they are succeeding, but who have test anxiety or other extenuating factors that cause them to fail the standardized exit exam to graduate on time. I will continue to work with the rest of the board to hold the administrative team accountable, and ensure that tax dollars are being used appropriately, with student-centered learning the priority in everything we do. 
4. What relevant experience do you have?
As the incumbent in this position, I’ve spent the last two years learning every aspect of this position. Under the guidance and leadership of veteran board members, I feel that I am now in an excellent place to continue this work for the next four years. Additionally, I am a youth librarian at the Oak Harbor Library and the chair of the Oak Harbor Youth Coalition. I am dedicated to our community’s youth in both my personal and professional life, and spend much of my time interacting with and supporting our students both in school and out of it. 

5. What will be your operating philosophy in office?
Ensuring that the work of the Board of Directors helps to create and maintain an environment of student success through respect, servant leadership, empathy, support, advocacy, and accountability. 

6. What message would you like to convey to voters?
I truly believe that this generation of students will change the world. It is an honor and privilege to help shape the environment that will inspire, support, and educate them from the time they first set foot in kindergarten until they cross the stage at graduation. I would love to continue this work for the next four years, and hope that I can earn your vote. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at jessica.erin.aws@gmail.com. 

Thank you so much! 
Jessica 

Frederick Wilmot frederickwilmot@comcast.net
  1. 1. Why are you running for this particular position?
 I'm running for the school board because I have first hand experience in the classroom and on the ball fields in high schools in Las Vegas and overseas in the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) in Sicily and Spain.  While I realize that the Oak Harbor School District continues to earn great accolades for programs they are pursuing, I am concerned about several areas, which I will address below.  With no personal knowledge of the three individuals running for the school board, I just arbitrarily chose to run for position 2 (as opposed to position 1 or 3, which are now unopposed).

  1. 2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position? 
I hope to encourage an increased emphasis on the basic 3 R's, upgrading reading comprehension, writing (restore cursive instruction) and basic math, without denigrating the current courses offered; eliminate "indoctrination" and restore "education"; increase the number of vocational programs offered and make business math a core course for all, college-bound or not; and return control of the educational curriculum from the federal level to our local level.

  1. 3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
Elementary Schools spending time teaching subjects rightfully addressed by their parents, to the minimization of time spent on the 3 R's; teaching Common Core (which was developed by non-educators, tied to extensive testing and restricts teachers' creativity in addressing subject matter); elimination of references to the Christian religion while encouraging the study of other religions; textbooks which have "agendas" in the manner they address subjects; as addressed in #2 above, the need for more vocational course being offered for those students who want to enter the workplace upon graduation.

4. What relevant experience do you have?
My relevant experience, as noted in #1, I devoted 18 years teaching/coaching.  I served for 12 years on the Navy's Curriculum Review Board which reviewed/modified the texts being used throughout the 650+ NJROTC programs in the U.S. and abroad and am currently a member of the Oak Harbor School District Curriculum Council.  My first career as a Naval Aviator required me to move my family several different times, and as a result, I am intimately familiar with the educational needs of military families transferring in and out of Whidbey.  

5. What will be your operating philosophy in office?
My operating philosophy will be to champion programs which are practical and which will best prepare students for life beyond high school, whether it be college or the work place.

6. What message would you like to convey to voters?
Message to parents:  Please be active in your children's education. I will be a conservative voice in advocating for best possible educational opportunities for your children, but please, you need to be active in their education. 
Mr Wilmot is in his mid-80s, military, focused on ‘fiscal responsibility’ and bringing education back to the good old 3 Rs, who donated $250.00 to the Trump campaign.

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

This one is an easy choice. We have an obviously very knowledgeable, very dedicated incumbent whose focus is on the students themselves (I confess to a bias in favor of librarians) being challenged by an old white male Trump supporter with outdated, authoritarian ideas about education. If I voted in Oak Harbor I would most happily vote for Jessica Aws.





Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)