Experience counts! Prior to being elected to the county council 2 years ago, Jamie Stephens was a Port Commissioner, a substitute teacher at Lopez School, a board member of several local non-profits including the Lopez Community Land Trust and Lopez Island Family Resource Center and taught business classes to future entrepreneurs using his extensive business experiences. He has been a local community leader for all of the 17 years he and his family have lived on Lopez Island.
Jamie brings a fresh and positive approach to the council and has been instrumental in resolving the county’s solid waste issues, developing innovative economic development opportunities and uses his business background to control the county budget. He works to protect our communities’ environment and at the same time helps farmers find new ways to market their products.
Jamie Stephens deserves to be reelected!
Tom Cowan
Lopez Island
Experience counts if it produces results. Both Pratt and Stephens had the opportunity to move the County forward during the reign of the “old council.” Both have maintained the status quo of spending beyond the County’s means. Both claim credit for virtually every positive development in the county, yet the solid waste issues are not yet resolved (and Lopez and Orcas pretty much did their own work to get where they are); the County budget is hardly “under control”–it has a poison pill of 3% growth annually that will require substantial tax hikes and soon. Shops and businesses in Eastsound and Friday Harbor continue to close, with little action by County government to reverse that trend. County management continues to frustrate County employees and citizens alike. Meanwhile, the old guard continues to propose new spending without methodically re-evaluating the base $40 million we already spend annually or analyzing the efficiency of the delivery of services.
I want representatives who will ask basic questions and challenge the fundamental assumptions that have led us to this mire.
I am voting for Brian McClerren, a smart, young man with the perspective of younger residents who are trying to find ways to make a living for their families in these islands; Bob Jarman, who has lived here for a long time, managing businesses that had to operate within real budgets, making hard decisions, and living with the consequences; and Rick Hughes, who understands the challenges of operating successful island enterprises, and has committed to focusing the County on customer service.
Bob and Rick were each elected last November and have earned the opportunity to serve full terms. This is Brian’s first effort at public office, and he has impressed both young and old among us, not only with his obvious intelligence, but more important, with his honest, open, and genuine caring for the people of the County.
Vote for Jarman, Hughes and McClerren to give our County a fresh start!
I agree with Tom Cowan and have been particularly impressed with Jamie Stephens’ professionalism as a County Council member. Jamie respects the importance of the office, and understands that disagreements or criticism of his actions are political rather than personal. I’ve been able to civilly discuss my concerns with Jamie and he has continued to act as a professional even when I’ve disagreed with him. While I’m convinced that Jamie is a good candidate in his own right, I’m particularly happy to vote for him in light of Brian’s comparative inexperience and lack of professionalism. My interactions with Brian have convinced me that he still needs to learn not to treat political disagreements as personal, a trait that is deeply troubling in a politician. I am also a young person trying to make a living in the islands and frankly, Brian’s perspective is foreign to me–I do not believe that he understands the needs of people like me, or how crucial it is to be a good steward of our unique environment and I don’t think he has the experience to run our government. I hope young people in the islands will join me in voting for Jamie Stephens.
Council votes 5-1 to put off CAO implementation until March of 2014. Stevens is the only one to vote no.
Once again, he is out of the loop and on the wrong side.
I seem to have met a different Brian McClerren than Ms. Murphy reportedly has.
Yes, Brian is refreshingly “inexperienced” in professional party politics. Thank goodness! He is in no way “unprofessional,” however. And he, of all the candidates, seems least likely to take positions on County issues personally. While some candidates spend considerable time complaining about how they are portrayed, Brian focuses on the issues.
He is very smart, very hard-working and amazingly energetic, yet is humble and kind and open to differing opinions. He analyzes issues based on his own internal values, not a predictable agenda.
We have been in Brian’s company on Orcas on a number of occasions when people have come up to thank him for running and to congratulate him on his excellent presentations at forums. He has made quite an impression here, and I hope that he attains his goal of representing the young and “unconnected” in the islands.
I am VERY impressed by both Brian’s maturity (not governed by solar revolutions) and his clear direction of critical issues that our community is facing.
Let the best candidate win!!!