Brian Lease: Unsung hero of 2018

Our La Conner area colleagues and neighbors have accomplished amazing successes and made invaluable contributions while quietly doing their work, paid, unpaid or under paid this past year.

Mayor Hayes Ramon Hayes recognized Ollie Iversen at December’s Council meeting. Hayes has provided strong, quiet leadership himself.

Heather Carter started 2018 with a grand slam home run, creating the Birds of Winter event, packing Maple Hall with residents and tourists.

Susan Macek has spent 2018 raising funds to gain La Conner a new library. Library Director Joy Neal forges quietly ahead, as does School Superintendent Whitney Meissner.

Rebecca Strong powered through, bringing art alive, leading the way with the Sunday summer concert series and Art’s Alive.

Jo Wolfe coordinated the celebration and recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Skagit County Historical Museum.

The La Conner Education Association teachers’ team of Aly Sehlin, Suzann Keith and Susanne Bruland worked with their colleagues to deliver unprecedented gains in their new contract with the school district.

A lawn’s worth of grass roots activists had county residents discussing and voting on developing a charter for Skagit County.

But the most amazing unsung hero of 2018 in this paper’s view is Brian Lease, director of public works for La Conner. Brian started the year dealing with a broken water main north of town. As 2018 ends, 8,000 feet have been replaced. That project was not on his task list a year ago.

Throughout the year, Brian seemed to be plugging one leak after another. He was always on the go. Did he take holidays off, much less a vacation?

As a manager and administrator, he brought new staff into the department and chased after capital funding.

Brian Lease is the La Conner Weekly News 2018 unsung hero. He richly deserves much more than this paper’s recognition and thanks.