Letter to the Editor: Byers Has Proven Herself an Effective Leader

By Susan McBain|2013-03-09T22:27:51-08:00March 10th, 2013|4 Comments

I am supporting Lisa Byers for the San Juan County Council.

After observing her in action for more than a year as a member of the OPAL board, I believe she is one of the most competent, thoroughly knowledgeable leaders I’ve ever worked with. The extent of skills and knowledge that she has developed in her work with OPAL, and before OPAL, absolutely boggles my mind: real estate, land use, resource conservation, construction, government regulations (federal, state, and local), organizational management, budgeting, accounting, consensus building, conflict resolution – I could go on and on.

She is a top-notch leader with a superb ability to see both sides of issues and to balance the needs and interests of different people and different groups. She truly believes in win-win, and she’s creative in working to achieve it. Her effectiveness as a leader is shown in OPAL’s growth and success in her 17 years at the helm. I stand in awe of her abilities, and I hope the people of San Juan County will choose to put her skills to work in the County Council.

Susan McBain

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About the Author: Susan McBain

Susan McBain has been a writer and editor for most of her working life, but never until now a reporter. Most of her work has been on research reports, curriculum materials, and corporate communications for nonprofit research organizations, including the American Institutes for Research, SRI International, and the Electric Power Research Institute. She moved to Orcas full-time in 2011, after she and her husband built a "summer place" in 2001. Her interests are the outdoors, the Food Bank, textile crafts, kids and grandkids, and her West Highland White Terrier, Pippin.

4 Comments

Joyce Pearson March 10, 2013 at 4:38 pm

Very well stated, Susan. I couldn’t agree more.
Harvey Aldort March 10, 2013 at 5:12 pm

I too agree. To the folks who think that Lisa is in favor of taking your property rights away I would remind you that most of us are here for the natural beauty and want it protected. I pay higher property taxes because of all the land that went into conservation. I do not mind this. The federal government is getting ready to give our area protected status. Those of you who want property rights above all should move to Montana which is still the wild west.
Peg Manning March 11, 2013 at 11:03 am

I don’t think anyone is complaining about conservation–we all contributed to it, whether by real estate taxes, other taxes, or personal contributions. No one I know is a single-issue person: “property rights above all.” It is this kind of black-and-white, buzz-word thinking that sets the community on edge and precludes rational discussion. It’s about the land that we bought and would like to use. Our use doesn’t threaten “natural beauty.” Yet it on the verge of being greatly constrained. As for “protected” status, it would be interesting to know what it actually accomplishes in addition to the protection already imposed, and whether the citizens of the county want it–via referendum, not PR campaign. Our supposedly well-placed representatives have been issuing press releases about this happening for two years now. Frankly, I’d prefer that the people in D.C. focus on solving bigger issues right now. As for the suggestion that people who disagree with you move to Montana, I can only say that THAT approach strikes me as neither democratic nor neighborly, but it is emblematic of the concerns that many of us have about County government.
Don Pencil March 11, 2013 at 2:12 pm

I too agree with Susan and Joyce that Lisa Byers is an excellent leader. I also agree with Harvey that Lisa Byers political position is that no individual has the right to own land and that all land (industrial, commercial, residential and agricultural) should be owned and governed communally by local social groups or government. I agree with Harvey that it will be her long term goal to move San Juan County to that end.
I also agree with Peg completely, “I don’t think anyone is complaining about conservation–we all contributed to it, whether by real estate taxes, other taxes, or personal contributions. No one I know is a single-issue person: ‘property rights above all.’” This goes far beyond just conservation. Lisa Byers’ clearly stated beliefs are that no individual has the right to own land, the value of all land is retained by the community, an individual may lease the land and can only own the improvements to the property. What improvements are allowable in their value is controlled completely by the community not the marketplace. How much can be grown or raise on the property is also controlled by the community.
Lisa Byers stated these beliefs publicly on video last year while speaking at a conference. Therefore, it is the belief of myself and others that she would use the above-stated super skills as a leader to move San Juan County in that direction. We believe as a local leader she would use these great skills to push for state and national legislation to move us all closer to that end. That being said, no one should have a problem with small private groups like OPAL Community Land Trust controlling the properties they own.
If this is the world you choose to live in, then I certainly encourage you to vote for Lisa Byers.
I do not agree with Harvey that if we disagree with Lisa’s political views we should move to Montana. We simply should vote for someone else.