Cooper - I would strive in my 15 - 18 months to promote cooperation and good will on the council and help continue Olympia as a progressive and embracing community.

Gates - During this appointed term, I intend to boost public confidence in council actions. I would welcome and encourage the public, neighborhood association representatives, community group leaders and others to present information during public comment during council meetings. I will foster relationships with groups and individuals the council may not ordinarily hear from and attend random neighborhood association meetings in order to hear what the community is thinking. I would regularly bring this information back to the council. I would like to be a part of strengthening the city's relationship with the port commissioners and would advocate for regular joint meetings such as the one held in March, which I attended. During my tenure, I will listen to the needs of business owners, encourage the clean-up of major corridors, embrace ideas from the Mainstreet Program, encourage the investment in infrastructure, bring in essential services and look at how to redevelop areas of downtown that can be appropriate areas for housing. Olympia consists of many diverse neighborhoods and communities, each with its own identity and character. I will affirm this and work to encourage hubs of neighborhood centers that promote walkability to work, school, recreational interests, commerce and essential services.

Gray - To serve the needs of the City of Olympia without consideration for reelection. I would wish to be an effective city Council person focusing on the needs of the City, its budget constraints, and being an effective listener to citizen concerns. I would hope my holistic view of local environment would be of benefit to the governance of the community.

Langer - I would wish to work with the team consisting of the city council, staff and the public to maintain the quality of life we have in Olympia in face of declining revenues. As mentioned above, I would make every effort to put the city budget back on a basis that would allow for a balance between revenue and expenditures I would hope to have an effective, respectful working relationship with my colleagues on the council to accomplish this critical goal. I am a strong proponent of open government, erring on the side of openness vs. secrecy. It is time to get our only public artesian well out of a parking lot and in a setting that honors it as a celebration of water heritage and healthful living. I would like to reestablish the effort to protect the wetlands associated with Woodard Creek south of Martin Way in partnership with Providence St. Peter Hospital and Capitol Land Trust. Finally, I would find a way to reinstitute curbside recycling for small businesses in the city.

Lazar - First and foremost, to adopt an amended Comprehensive Plan and Shoreline Management Plan that fully reflects the goals and policies of the voters of Olympia. I will also work to implement key portions of that plan, particularly related to the environment and to transportation safety, by seeking necessary amendments to the applicable sections of the Olympia Municipal Code. Second, get the City's budget on a more sound footing, including asking voters to restore some or all of the revenue that was removed by 1-747, consistent with local voter rejection of that measure. Third, work to improve the efficiency of City activities to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, and to make government more responsive. For example, law enforcement is now split among different functions in different departments (Police, Fire Code Enforcement, Parking Enforcement, Code Enforcement). Fourth, complete the West Bay Park and Trail, open the Ward Lake swim park, get back on track to complete the neighborhood parks and community parks approved by the voters in 2004, and complete all segments of the city sidewalk program and bicycle facility program that can be achieved within available funds. Finally, I believe in open government. I will work to have every document the City has, that is a public document subject to disclosure, accessible on the City's website. I will also work to have every meeting that the City holds that addresses matters of interest to the public webcast on the City's website.

Richards - Specifically, the Union Avenue High Density Corridor would be one of the things I would look to get included into the Comprehensive Plan during the update process. I think it is an important piece in creating an atmosphere comfortable to the kind of development we value in this community, and the kind we will need in order to meet growth forecasts and density challenges laid out by the Growth Management Act and own Comprehensive Plan. I would strive toward building consensus in community and finding common ground in order to meet the challenges of the day. Ultimately, I know that 18 months is not enough time to accomplish all of the goals of the community, so I will work diligently to prove myself a capable public servant to the voters, which will enable me to continue my work on the council beyond the appointment period.

Selby - In my research for this application and upcoming interview, I spoke with or met as many people as schedules allowed. These meetings were with city staff, seated council members, past council members, business leaders, community activists, school board members, state political leaders and planning specialists. What I garnered after hours of conversation and endless note taking were the striking similarities in what some would say are divergent viewpoints. I heard again and again people speak passionately about their vision for Olympia. I chose to take away from those conversations the common themes that we need to repair divisions and move forward as a community. In the short time allowed by this appointment, I think the biggest impact I could make would be as a consensus builder in conjunction with the viewpoint of a downtown small business owner. There traditionally has been a business owner representation on the council which is currently missing. I have the time, commitment and energy to serve as a team member and would hold my appointment in the highest honor.

Smith - I hope to contribute to better relationships between the City of Olympia, community members, local governments and other interests everywhere that promote city as a responsible progressive forward moving city that is a great place to live.

Thomas - • Improve outcome measurement and strengthen trust and partnership among residents and other regional stakeholders • Engage community members to create greater understanding about how individual choices can help community manage growth and maximize environmental stewardship • Initiate Neighborhood Planning .• Increase high density housing downtown and on the urban corridors

Veldheer - The City Council has already decided on its goals for this year and I will work to seek community support to accomplish these goals. I want to develop good working relationships with council members so we can move forward on this agenda. I also want to help the Council reach out to neighborhoods, citizens and businesses in order to foster public trust and respect. For 2011, I will be an advocate for greater public involvement in decision-making and finding ways to make public records more accessible to citizens. I believe there are ways to cut down on the costs of processing public records requests by making information more routinely available.