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Eight applicants for city council, read the applications
I haven't had much time to look through these council applications, but tell you what. There aren't any city council meetings between now and the end of the year, so I'll use the time I would have used to write about those and I'll write about these folks.
Here is a rundown of the process:
Monday, January 7, 2008 - Initial interviews in public meeting. Time and location to be announced.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008 - Final interviews during the Olympia City Council's regular business meeting. Interviews are expected to start about 8:00 p.m. They will be televised live on Thurston Community Television (TCTV) Olympia Cable Channel 3, and on the City Council meeting video streaming. The Council may discuss applicant qualifications in closed session; then reconvene in open meeting for deliberation and preliminary selection of an appointee; or the Council may choose to conduct deliberations and make the selection on another date.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 - Appointment of new Councilmember during the Olympia City Council's regular business meeting that starts at 7:00 p.m.
I've heard about half of the eight and have some opinions about them just off the bat.
Jim Boyde is the former manager at the Capital Mall, so if you like the touches they've added over there, you'll just love him on the council. Have to give him credit for padding his local involvement resume since 2001 when Matt Green walked all over him for a city council seat.
Amy Tousley lost to Craig Ottaveli and Matt Green in the primary election, but her resume in local planning and government is so freaking long, it would be hard for the council not to seriously consider her. Or, to hire her in the planning department.
Danielle Westbrook is probably the dark horse (total disclosure, I'm a member of the Thurston Young Dems, along with Danielle). She was a big part of the parks and sidewalks campaign a few years ago and from her answers in the application, has an a view of an experienced observer of the city's process.
Here are the rest of the applications.
Joan Machlis
James Reddick
Ann Varpness
Karen Rogers
Karen Veldheer
- emmettoconnell's blog
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The Eight who want Doug's seat
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Comments
Losers
As Emmett notes, two of these applicants already ran for city council and lost to me. In other words, the voters of Olympia said no. So I am appalled that they have such little respect for the voters that they would try to sneak on to the council through the back door.
(And yes, I lost too. That's why I'm not applying.)
Matthew Green
Perfect candidate?
Qualities I would look for in a council appointee
(Besides not having run and lost.)
1. Having taken on volunteer leadership positions in the community, for example in a neighborhood association, or on a city advisory committee, or with a local nonprofit group, or as a community activist. And I'm not talking about being just a member of some organization, or volunteering now and then. I would look for real leadership.
2. Bringing a perspective other than what is already well represented on the council. I don't mean a radically different political perspective, or very liberal or conservative views. I mean having a background and experiences that are different. Some backgrounds missing from the council (or only present in very small amounts) are: neighborhood leaders; people involved in downtown other than through owning a business; anyone connected to the arts or cultural scene; anyone who took part in local issues for more than about 8-10 years at most (and thus has a longer memory); and anyone with a background in community activism (being a Democratic PCO doesn't count).
Unfortunately, based on my knowledge of the council and on what they have said publicly, I don't think they will look for these qualities. I predict they will pick someone safe, who they know well, who they expect to join in with the majority almost every time, and who generally won't rock the boat.
Huh? Appalled?
So what if they lost. It's an open application. Open to anybody. The appointment process has yielded council members who had lost in previous council elections. Why just give up?
I would rather our council choose the best candidate, regardless of previous outcomes. I actually expected the 3 candidates from this past election to step forward. I'd rather have Green or Hogan than any of the current candidates (Tousley is up there as well).
Matthew, if it is not too late, I wish that you'd reconsider.
Matt
Whoa.....Matthew....
You just exercised intellectual honesty!
Run for a county office and I'll work your campaign. Maybe we just need to educate the voters a bit more about the issue with Hawkins so that you don't end up being the goat on that one too many more times. (I think you got screwed in the media about that subject, but some would tell you that I have a resentment with The Olympian. I like to think that I'm critical because I worked in newspapers in a day when you wouldn't think of doing a hatchet job like I see done in today's newspapering)
Seriously Matthew, that was a great comment.
Right
It's about the voters.
If a losing candidate wants to run again, fine. If they win support from the voters, good for them.
But for the voters to make a decision, and then have that decision overturned by four councilmembers, is anti-democratic.
Well that's awfully noble of
I agree with Norm
on this one.
"We Israelis sacrifice ourselves for our continued existence, our enemies sacrifice themselves for our destruction."--Unknown--
Jim Boyde (pdf file) is the
When did he stop being the manager? Because the last time I went to the Capital Mall, I was amazed. If he had anything to do with how the mall is currently structured, I'd say he's done a pretty good job.
Rather than just chugging along and being content as the only game in town, Capital Mall really put itself together nicely over the last two years.
I suppose the biggest argument against is that when you're there you could just as easily be in Southern California.
I don't like the mall,
I disagree with Emmett
I notice Jean-Marie Thomas is not on the list, that means she knew she didn't have the four votes she needed.
Jim Boyd is an interesting name to see as an applicant, I think this may come down to him and Westbrook.
maybe not so much a dark horse
Westbrook
Support for tent city and social programs
Everybody supports the camp
That doesn't mean they are willing to take an honest look at housing issues however, and we should keep on them about it.
If you have questions or input, you should send it to the city council's email address. It would be best to wait until after the newly elected members are sworn in though as they will be tasked with hiring the new council member to fill the vacancy.
Congrats
It is obviously a moment to look back on the whole situation and recognize everyone who did such a hard job getting the camp started.. and made all those sacrifices to continue helping it run.
Of course no one could get such success without all the help of those inhabiting the camp.
Everyone who gave effort helped set a standard.. and thats amazing!
Friendblog: None are known to exist since bloggers don't have friends.
A question for Emmett
As opposed to OLD Democrat?
I dunno about you, Rob, but I'm not gonna stop calling myself young until I'm 80. And then I think I'll change it to "young and strapping".
:)
The Canaanite's Call
well,
I'm 31 too
thanks
I'm probably not qualified
I'm probably not qualified to speak about this, but from what I've heard it's less of a minors/majors thing than it is an attempt at infusing youthful energy into an older and sometimes rigid party. Like a bloc or wing of the party.
The Canaanite's Call
Sounds like you're a "young"
Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake
Joan Machlis