Why I'm Running

I’m running for a second term as Olympia Port Commissioner for a few different reasons. While I am proud of the work the Commission and the Port have accomplished over the last few years, I’d like to see more collaboration between the Port, local municipalities, the local tribes, and the local Chambers of Commerce to help accomplish various goals for the economic advancement of the county and Port. Examples of what I’d like to see include;

-Rethinking development plans for North Point and East Bay to expand options and bring in family-wage jobs

-Work with local post-secondary institutions to create an industrial park geared towards fostering the development of green industries in Thurston County

-See work continue on the cleanup of Budd Inlet and resume discussion of additional dredging of Capitol Lake.

I’ve worked hard over the last four years to insure that the public has a voice in their port. While economic development of the Port is the main goal, I believe public accountability is a major issue.  One example of this is when I pushed the idea of adding additional public meetings to the Port’s schedule, resulting in increased transparency, something I will continue to work towards. We need to make sure that the citizens of Thurston County have confidence in the port. The public must be involved with the Port in order for the Port to make the best decisions for the county. Without really listening to the public, we are not doing our job.

 Smart Planning | Community Development | Family-Wage Jobs