The upcoming Council election has candidates from each district who give voters a welcome alternative to the prior Council’s approach to governing.
Brian McClerren from Lopez, Bob Jarman and Marc Forlenza from San Juan and Rick Hughes, Greg Ayers and Lisa Byers from Orcas Island were not part of the prior Council that imposed the mind-numbing Critical Areas Ordinance on the citizens of the County. Except for Lisa Byers, whose career has been with government funded non-profits, all the candidates listed above have recent private sector experience.
Despite the Council/Charter elections being non-partisan, the progressive liberal wing of the San Juan County Democrat Party is supporting candidates Lisa Byers, Lovel Pratt and Jamie Stephens.
Greg Ayers and Rick Hughes, Marc Forlenza and Bob Jarman and Brian McCleeren are keeping faith with the non-partisan provision of the SJC Charter. Theirs is a principled but difficult stand to take when facing candidates benefiting from the money and momentum that party politics generates.
There is a choice to make. Past Council members Jamie Stephens and Lovel Pratt never saw an off-island grant-funded program they didn’t like. With their approval, our County government ended up with staff, funding and/or agendas from powerful off-island organizations including the Puget Sound Partnership, Northwest Straits, Salmon Recovery, Tribes and the Department of Ecology. These groups are directly funding programs for Eco-Net, the Friends of the San Juans and the SJC Marine Resources Committee who, in turn, vigorously support the off-island agendas to the Council and planning staff.
With this outside influence, the prior Council voted consistently for extensive new restrictions on the public, has re-written our Comprehensive Plan and ignored the balance required by Growth Management Act for land use planning. The impact on local businesses, working families, property owners and our fragile local economy has been largely ignored.
Voters will have the opportunity to choose and support the non-partisan candidates who understand that a Council members job is to direct and manage County government, not direct and manage the citizens of San Juan County.
By John Evans
Doe Bay
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The county council positions are non-partisan, but that does not mean that parties, or any other person, group or entity, including a newspaper, cannot endorse a candidate. This is up to that group, not the candidate. I am, and will remain, non-partisan.
The Democratic Party invited all candidates running for County Council to fill out a questionnaire. I answered that questionnaire, and they decided to state their support for me.
What I think the voters really want to know is this: I am a free agent. I will make decisions based on my analysis of the information at hand, and based on my life experience. I believe that my life experience, the way I make decisions and the way I conduct myself in our community all point to the fact that I am an independently-minded person who knows how to incorporate many perspectives into compromise solutions.
Lisa Byers, Candidate for County Council
To be clear, my issue is if or how candidates have responded to offers of endorsements from a political Party and most directly, an issue with the local Democrat Party thumbing it’s nose at the Charter’s intent for non-partisan elections for the Council positions.
There was never any question of who the local Democrats would support just as there is never a question that Conservation Voters will only support Democrat candidates in State-wide elections; that’s politics.
Citizens in the County have voted to not have Party politics in our Council elections. I would be more encouraged if all candidates had not responded to a partisan Democrat questionnaire that was clearly focused on soliciting Democrat Party support. Some sought that support and others did not. I am inclined to put more faith in candidates who can read the Charter and understand what it means.
I take Lisa at her word that she is independent or as she says, a free agent. Seeking and accepting an endorsement by the local Democrat Party seems inconsistent with that self evaluation. I wish she had done otherwise.
John Evans
I also was approached by the Democrats. The questionnaire idea felt very odd and confining, so I decided to write them a personal message instead. This letter was eventually published in most of the papers and online.
The Democrats made up their minds quickly. I did not receive a single word in response.
I sent a copy to Senator Ranker along with another personal letter. I wanted to thank him for his many words in support of the CRC. His past letter to the editor wrote, “Our council should represent the diversity of our community – not only the wealthy and retired, but the working and young families”.
Imagine my disgust when this email received no reply and Kevin Ranker arrives to openly endorse Jamie Stephens, opposing the youngest candidate in the race.
John Evans reminds me of the disingenuous objections to endorsements during the 2012 election. The SJC Democrats were forthright in stating their endorsements. Officers of the SJC Republican Party spoke in opposition to endorsements, yet only my opponent was included on the SJC Republican Party’s website and only my opponent was invited to speak at the GOP event on San Juan Island that featured several regional and statewide republican candidates.
The Charter, and I think also the voters’ intent, does not violate our constitutional guaranties of free association and free speech by restricting endorsements. What is important is open and transparent government and that begins with the campaign. I will continue to receive and seek endorsements from individuals and groups throughout this campaign and I will be open and transparent about those endorsements.
Is John still the paid lobbyist for the builders association? If so, shouldn’t it be noted?