I strongly recommend retaining Rick Hughes as the District 2 representative on the San Juan County Council. Rick has demonstrated a thoughtful, pragmatic and balanced approach to County government and with his experience, I can confidently say that Rick Hughes is the most qualified person for this job.

In the past 8 years Rick has worked to make San Juan County a better place to live. Passing the Critical Areas Ordinance, the Shoreline Master Plan update and other state mandates has kept San Juan County compliant with Washington State Law and the Growth Management Act. There has been eight years of hold-the-line budgeting; the County’s Rainy-Day Reserve, Capital Reserve and Lodging Tax Reserve Funds have been fully funded. County debt at the same time has been reduced. Rick has developed good working relationships with our neighboring counties and with state legislators resulting in synergistic approaches to solving shared problems.

Rick has sought and brought to bear the resources necessary to improve the County’s infrastructure: bridges replaced, roads improved, and walking paths built. He is addressing the lack of affordable housing and the need for greater economic diversity in the County. More than talk, Rick has a plan and knows how to get things done.

Rick has worked tirelessly during the COVID pandemic to protect the health and economic well-being of county residents. This work is ongoing; more hard work remains to be done. We need Rick’s knowledge and experience to make the choices necessary to get us through the uncertain times ahead. Governance is complicated and requires making difficult choices. Over 8 years of decision making, it is not possible to please everyone all the time. What is important is to make decisions honestly with an open mind, examining the issues and listening closely to the community’s concerns. Rick has done just that. Rick respects that the San Juan County Council position is non-partisan and he is not beholden to any political party or special interest group. This sets him far apart from the opposing candidate. Please join me and vote to re-elect Rick Hughes for another 4 years.

Richard Fralick

Deer Harbor