The hours are long, the pay is lousy, and it can be a thankless job, but that doesn’t stop them from signing on.
We’re talking about non-partisan, elected officials, many of whom volunteer their time to weigh in on local issues and make tough decisions that sometimes spark heated debates in the grocery aisle.
We want to thank our island citizens who stepped up and filed for office during the recent call for candidates. You care about our communities and our future, and we thank you for being willing to spend hours going over a school budget or an evening talking about the cost of sewer hook-ups. Not to mention the many questions that will be thrown your way as a member of public office.
The 2009 nonpartisan candidates for Orcas are:
Orcas Island School District #137
School Board Director 1, Nonpartisan office (4-year term): Jim Sullivan and Chris Sutton.
School Board Director 2, Nonpartisan office (4-year term): Tony P. Ghazel (incumbent) and Robert Connell.
School Board Director 3, Nonpartisan office (4-year term): Scott M. Lancaster (incumbent).
SJC Fire Protection District #2
Fire Commissioner 2, Nonpartisan office (6-year term): Jonathan Loop, Henry “Duff” Andrews, and Clyde Duke (incumbent).
Fire Commissioner 3, Nonpartisan office (2-year unexpired term): Barbara G. Bedell and Pierrette Guimond.
Port of Orcas
Port Commissioner 1, Nonpartisan office (4-year term): Audrey Morrison Wells.
Port Commissioner 4, Nonpartisan office (4-year term): Steve Hopkins.
Eastsound Sewer & Water District
Sewer & Water Commissioner 3, Nonpartisan office (6-year term): Gregory M. Ayers, Dave Page, and Harvey Aldort.
Sewer & Water Commissioner 4, Nonpartisan office (6-year short and full term): Carl Yurdin.
The primary is scheduled for Aug. 18 and the general election is Nov. 3. We’re looking forward to hearing from the candidates. Although some will lose their bid, we thank everyone for taking the leap.
And to all those who have served and continue to work tirelessly on the local boards – we know it’s a tough job, and even if we don’t agree with every decision you make, we are grateful for the sometimes Herculean effort it takes to be a local public official.
