Council candidates Minney and Palmateer address issues on Orcas Island

||| BY MINOR LILE, REPORTER |||

Over the course of the last several months, the Orcasonian has run a series of Q&A articles with District 2 candidates Rick Hughes and Cindy Wolf (see here and here).

Christine Minney and Ryan Palmateer are the two contenders for the District 1 County Council seat in the November general election. Both Minney and Palmateer are San Juan Island residents. District 1 is composed of San Juan Island and a number of outlying islands. The council seat in District 1 is currently held by incumbent Bill Watson. Watson is completing his first term in office and did not run for re-election.

In this article, we turned to the District One candidates and invited their responses to three questions. Here is what the candidates had to say:

1) What, in your view, are the key issues for Orcas Island voters in this election?

Christine Minney: I just returned from a series of meetings with residents on Orcas and I clearly heard that the main issues of concern include vacation rental permitting and the overabundance of vacation rentals on Orcas. Clearly, the need for affordable housing options is a serious concern (and I want to acknowledge the void that OPAL is going to help fill with April’s Grove.) I also heard a real concern over Islanders safety as a result of tourism during COVID and concurrently a serious worry for our islands’ economy based on COVID impacts. These are not easy times and I understand the fear. Together, we will make empowering decisions that help mitigate negative impacts and embrace a way forward for us all.

Ryan Palmateer: The key issues facing Orcas Island are also the key issues facing San Juan and Lopez Islands:

Local Economic Recovery The pandemic has taught us that reliance on tourist dollars puts our local economy at high risk for major disruptions. I will work with the Economic Development Council, the Agricultural Guild and the people working with our seniors to explore the best ways to develop more year-round jobs.

Affordable Housing Our need for affordable housing is critical. I will work with governmental and non-governmental partners to establish a greater inventory, but part of the problem is lax regulation of vacation rentals. We need better, fairer rules that will protect existing neighborhoods, make VRs less attractive for non-local investors and speculators, and encourage long-term affordable housing. I will work with community groups to accomplish this.

Agricultural Support The pandemic has also taught us that we need to improve our local food resilience, to become less reliant on mainland supplies. We need to produce more food here at home and partner with local food producers to develop food systems that support our local needs. I will use my relationships with the agricultural community to that end.

2) San Juan County is somewhat unique in that each island has its own culture and issues of concern. As a member of the County Council, how would you balance the concerns of the District you have been elected to represent with the interests of the county as a whole?

Christine Minney: I believe the concerns of any of our unique island communities, regardless of district, are the concern of the entire council. As a council member, I would be making decisions that impact the other districts. I will make myself available and be open to residents affected by all issues before the Council. Regardless of district, I believe it is critical to understand all of our resident’s needs and ensure their concerns are heard and considered. If an entire county of voters is responsible for voting for all districts, I am responsible to represent the whole county.

Ryan Palmateer: Representation is the cornerstone of our democracy.  In our case, representation is best served by strong ties among all the islands of the county.  While I live on San Juan Island, I am elected by the entire county and it is the entire county I intend to serve.  I have years of experience building relationships throughout the islands, be it participating in community parades in Eastsound and the procession of the species in Lopez Village, addressing climate change and rain gardens at Orcas Center, or helping to organize the Fossil Free by 33 event at Lopez Center.  I will bring the islands closer together through these vital relationships, representing the interests of our entire island community as I always have.

3) Is there anything else you would like to say to the voters of Orcas Island?

Christine Minney: While I do know my island with a truth that being here 24 years has allowed, I will be new to understanding your community. I commit to learning and representing Orcas Island residents with the same earnest and approachable way that I have done here through my life on San Juan Island.

I also wanted to share why I don’t have yard signs like others running for office. I noticed how overwhelming they were on Orcas. For me, this campaign is a chance to show you who I am and what kind of leader I want to be. Yard signs do nothing to create a good conversation and end up littering the beautiful islands where we live – long after this election is over. When it comes to walking the walk as a basis for good decision making for residents and our environment equally, this is it. Signs may be the right choice for some, but I chose a different path.

Ryan Palmateer: I look forward to using my deep connections to our community, my passion for protecting it, and my strong professional background in conservation, renewable energy, and technology in the work of the County Council.  Experience as a volunteer across the county has shown me the needs of each island and has prepared me for ensuring those needs are met. I will help make sure our residents have an affordable and dignified place to live, a productive local economy that doesn’t rely on trampling nature to function, and an agriculture system that improves the health of our residents and the resilience of our community.  If you agree with these goals, please vote for me, Ryan Palmateer, for County Council District 1 in November.

More information on the candidates can be found on their websites: www.christine4council.org/ and www.ryanpalmateer2020.com/.

A League of Women’s Voters County Council candidate forum is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7 from 5:30-7:00 pm. Email candidateforums2020@gmail.com to register and receive a link to the forum.