Candidates for Pos. 1 council vacancy - Rich De Shon

Years in La Conner and why applied

My wife, Terri, and I have lived in La Conner for almost two years. I applied for the town council position because there was a vacancy and I have always made an effort to be an asset to my community. In La Conner, after several moves, we have finally found the combination of climate and culture that has satisfied our particular desires.

Community involvement; successes

I spent over twenty years as a public servant, working for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, in corrections.

While there, I served for a time on the county’s Juvenile Justice Commission in the effort to divert kids from habits and behaviors that would otherwise lead them to becoming inmates.

I served with the Sherriff’s Office as a line officer, training officer, corrections compliance officer and classification officer.

I finished my career at the minimum-security barracks.

After retirement, we moved to Grants Pass, Oregon.

There, I served on a PAVE Committee, dealing with the effective operation of the city’s public safety department.

In McMinnville, Oregon I was a volunteer with the police department, the only one allowed to work in investigations, due to my background.

Policies to champion

I am heartened by the town council’s response to citizen calls for more law enforcement presence in La Conner. I am also interested in finding new, creative and effective means of funding improvements to the town’s infrastructure as well as pending public works projects. I hope to be a spokesman for the concerns of our citizens as a genuine representative and will make myself available.

Representing residents

I am a citizen. I am someone who has worked for years within local government and have a unique insight into how the day-to-day operations affect the safety and security of the public.