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Q & A
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲?
I feel that the City of Sequim is extremely fortunate to have professional and knowledgeable staff and employees keeping our city running smoothly day to day. Everyone works so hard and they all work effectively and efficiently as a team.
There are a couple of big changes I would like to see: The first change is more affordable housing! The second change is all of our City Council being more actively engaged in the local community and actively responding to citizen’s concerns and questions. I’m told quite often that councilor (Brandon) Janisse, councilor (Tom) Ferrell and I are the most responsive, but we need seven out of seven responsive council members, not three out of seven.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹?
I grew up in an alcoholic and abusive household. The experience was tough, but it taught me that I want to take care of others with everything that I have. Everyone deserves to feel safe and cared about.
I was a stay-at-home mom for about five years and then became extremely active in our community through Head Start Policy Council Chairperson (2017-present), OlyCAP Board Member (2020-present), Sequim Education Foundation Board Member (2020-present), and Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market Interim Board President (2021-present). I feel that each role has taught me how to work cooperatively as a team member while allowing me to make a positive impact on our community.
My time at Head Start has really taught me the importance of creating, amending, and following policy for the safety and betterment of a community. Being an OlyCAP board member has taught me to use my voice for those that need help, like low-income families.
Since becoming a Sequim Education Foundation board member, I’ve been able to be a part of a team that raises and donates funds to teachers and students in need. My role on the Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market board is still fresh, but it’s taught me the kind of leader I want to be — collaborative and supportive.
I was appointed to Sequim City Council in February and have earned my Certificate of Municipal Leadership and my Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership. I feel the most vital skills for a city council member are active listening and the ability to make informed decisions. It’s extremely important to make decisions for the good of the people of the present and the future, instead of making decisions that will benefit a small group.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗠𝗔𝗧) 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘆?
I think one of the most important takeaways from the Medication Assisted Treatment Clinic controversy is how harmful and destructive disinformation can be. Another key takeaway is the importance and benefit of wrap-around services for the physical, mental, and emotional health of our citizens that are in need of stability.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺’𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿?
City council members are elected, or appointed, officials meant to represent people in the community. I believe a way to increase transparency within government operations is for city council members to be actively responsive to citizens and striving to be role models within the community while valuing how hard city staff and employees work.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁?
I believe I’m the best choice for City Council seat 4 because I have shown my dedication and commitment to the community. My time as Head Start Policy Council Chairperson, an Olympic Community Action Programs Board Member, a Sequim Education Foundation Board Member, a Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market Board Member and Interim Board President, and as an appointed City Council Member have taught me valuable leadership lessons. It is so critical to the well-being of our community that we come together as team, despite our differences, in order to help the people in our community thrive!
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗶𝘁?
My top priority is doing everything we can in order to bring more affordable housing to Sequim. Action items I would promote include: applying for grants and building partnerships federally, state-wide, and locally in order to build affordable housing for the workforce within our community.
𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆?
I believe that the Sequim City Council should never disregard the recommendations of the Clallam County Hearings Examiner. Sequim City Council Members are not well-versed in land use law and must rely on the recommendations from a professional in this area in order to be fair, equitable, and making sure the council decisions are following the law. If City Council decides to not follow recommendations, and decides outcomes on a case-by-case basis, council members and the city, there could be legal repercussions.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺?
Finding long term solutions will be our best bet. Building partnerships on the local, state, and federal levels can be imperative to remedy the shortage of affordable housing. When we come together as a community, where each party benefits and we can compromise, that’s when we find a solution. If there’s a way for the city and several local agencies to put resources toward housing, we need to find that out. What if there was a group of local volunteers that could put their effort and time toward building housing? What if local businesses could donate resources, tools, and materials? Developers won’t develop unless it’s profitable for them, but is there a way for the city to give a benefit to developers over the long-term that can help us build housing now?
I also wanted to make a note that I am also on the Olympic Community Action Programs Board of Directors, and the agency was able to break ground this summer for a 43-unit affordable housing complex in Port Townsend. However, this took the work of several people fighting tirelessly over several years to make it happen.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆?
I promote trust and civility between Council members and the Sequim community by doing everything I can to role model the necessary skills of a council member. Since being appointed, trust and civility have been priorities for my role as a council member, considering all of the controversy and negative attitude toward Sequim and its leadership over the past couple of years. It’s so important that each council member does their part: actively listening, asking questions, and actively respecting the decisions of local agencies and organizations in order to keep our community safe. Great and trustworthy leaders take responsibility, are dependable, and match their actions to their words.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗺?
In these dark days of the pandemic, it’s important that we focus on sustaining the businesses we have here now. That being said, when we look to the future, building partnerships can be a deciding factor in bringing new businesses to Sequim. Building partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce, the Tribe, the EDC, and other local agencies can be critical in finding resources to help bring new business into Sequim. I feel that building relationships with lobbyists to help advocate for our needs on the state and federal level can also bring new businesses to Sequim.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀?
Like people, it’s important to treat every business equally. We can’t play favorites. We have to listen to each business individually and do everything we can to help them thrive. Some small businesses may need more grant funds, while some big businesses may need more employees. We’re able to point small businesses in the right direction when applying for resources, but if a business needs more employees, that’s where we run into the affordable housing shortage again. An area cannot have a dependable workforce without having an affordable place to live.