Meet the candidates for Skagit County Commission

Why are you seeking office?

I'm running for office because I think most Skagitonians believe we can and must do a better job in tackling our biggest challenges to make our lives better and our children's futures brighter. We should be driven by science and listening to one another again. I enjoy helping other people solve their problems and succeed in their own efforts. I have the energy, time and humility to focus solely on working for you if honored with election.

What will be the solution to zoning for agritourism?

Farmland should be for farming. The recent state Supreme Court ruling said that permanent development of non-agricultural uses will degrade farmland and salmon habitat and are inconsistent with the Growth Management Act and state Environmental Policy Act. Many farmers have uses and events that qualify under these new limits, such as farm sales, u-pick harvesting and events like the Tulip Festival. Our family farms should be able to invite the public to learn about and celebrate the vast array of agricultural endeavors in our Valley! Our zoning should provide appropriate thresholds for uses, scale and intensity.

How will you work with the county's cities to increase their municipal housing density?

I am the only candidate running for Skagit County Commissioner who is a zoning and housing development expert and who has been elected to a city council (two-term at-large Mount Vernon councilmember). I've spent the last 10 years helping city dwellers and policy makers embrace their role in conserving Skagit's farms, forests and fisheries by adding necessary density in urban areas in a way that preserves neighborhood character. I will work to encourage and incentivize city policies that build up commercial cores via knowledge-sharing and partnerships, as I have done as a founding director of the Skagit Housing Consortium. I will also work with non-profit organizations to help build workforce and mixed-income housing as I have done as president of the board of directors and chair of the Housing Work Group of Community Action of Skagit County.

How will you increase climate resiliency with county initiatives?

There are many ways that Skagit County should be reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to the changes in climate that we have seen recently. As an aquatic scientist working to find solutions to preserving our natural and built environments for the last 25 years and having raised over $150 million for that work, I'm uniquely qualified to help Skagitonians succeed in this endeavor. Our sea walls, levees and drainage systems need to be upgraded in anticipation of sea level rise and larger floods. Our land use planning needs to conserve existing natural areas, like our forests, floodplains and wetlands, to reduce downstream flooding and keep people out of harm's way. Water supply for people and agriculture is also a growing concern that we should address before the courts get involved.

What will your advocacy be for a countywide library system with your fellow commissioners?

I'm very interested in having that dialogue. I'd start with community engagement and then ask experts to provide options. We've already made great strides in rebuilding our community-based library facilities and in strengthening our shared services. We have moved towards a countywide library system and regionalizing this system could potentially improve services without increasing costs.