Phone
(360) 836-0962
Email
info@blackforlongview.com
Town where you live
Longview
Experience (300 characters max)
I have been on the Parks Board for three years and I currently serve as the chair.
Since the campaign began I have been meeting with city employees, community leaders, and everyday citizens to hear about the issues that matter to them. I love getting to meet people and hear their stories. This is a practice that I plan to continue if I am elected. Your voice matters to me. I want to hear how you interact with the city and what your hopes are for Longview.
Our city does a lot of great work when it comes to urban forestry. We have been a national Tree City for the past 40 years. The city plants 200-300 trees per year. While the most pressing environmental issues cannot be adequately addressed at the city level, the city can also be finding feasible ways to be more sustainable in its practices.
I have been on the Parks Board for three years, and I am currently the chair. My time on the Parks Board has given me familiarity with the city government. I worked often with current City Manager, Jen Wills. On the Board we were part of the collaborative process of putting together the Parks Department’s comprehensive plan. We also provided feedback on the budget. Part of the work of the Parks Board is to review applications to the Community Parks Grant program. This program helps youth organizations, interested citizens, and other stakeholders to help improve the parks.
We need a multi-faceted approach that meets people where they are at to help get people off the street. We need to make sure we are working with our community partners on this issue. There are lots of great organizations working toward this problem, but the city should serve in the gap as necessary. The Behavioral Health Unit and Hope Village are good examples of the city filling an unmet need. Hope Village has helped those that otherwise didn’t qualify for shelters find more permanent housing situations. The Behavior Health Unit has allowed law enforcement to move away from enforcement only, but to also be able to focus on connecting those experiencing mental health crises with necessary resources.
We need to build a city that our children and grandchildren can thrive in. To do this, the council needs to work to support local businesses, making downtown a regional destination, and maintaining our parks and libraries. At the same time, we need to ensure public safety and effectively steward our tax dollars. We need to elect a Council that faces challenges head on and focus on effective governance, not advancing political agendas. I will partner with the community to make the decisions that work for all of us.
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Phone
5035021003
Email
joshforlongview@gmail.com
YouTube Video
https://youtu.be/65mD3zqe6S0
Town where you live
Longview WA
Experience (300 characters max)
Past President of Kelso Rotary, Co-Chair of Downtown Advisory, Past President of Longview Downtowners, Past President of Childen's Discovery Museum, Past Co-Chair of Lower Columbia Professionals, Chamber of Commerce Ambassador (8 years), Ambassador of the Year 2019, Rising Star 2023
I’ll stay connected to the people of Longview through regular public events and honest, open communication. You can reach me by phone or online at joshforlongview.com. I’ll also post blog updates whenever privacy rules allow. I believe folks deserve leaders who speak with them—not at them. You won’t have to wonder where I stand or how to get in touch. I’ll be present, easy to reach, and committed to keeping the conversation going.
I believe in practical environmental efforts that improve quality of life and strengthen our local economy. Programs through the PUD and CAP already help residents boost efficiency, and I support expanding those tools. I’ve also backed initiatives that increase e-bike and electric vehicle use—voting in favor of downtown charging stations as both a DAC member and president of the Downtowners. Smart infrastructure like this makes Longview more accessible, more sustainable, and better prepared for the future.
I was president of the Downtowners, where I led efforts to support local businesses, grow events, and advocate for smart development. I’ve also served on the Downtown Advisory Committee (DAC), where I voted in favor of projects like downtown EV charging stations and helped shape long-term planning.
During the pandemic, I organized and produced The COVID Report, a public health radio program that brought together officials, business leaders, and community voices to keep residents informed and calm in a critical time.
I’ve worked behind the scenes helping nonprofits like the Children’s Discovery Museum, Hope Village, and Kelso Rotary, including recruiting leadership and managing communications when no one else stepped up. I’ve also moderated candidate forums using formats that made it easier for voters to hear real answers, not just rehearsed talking points. My public service comes down to one thing: when I see a need, I act.
know homelessness isn’t abstract—it’s personal. I was born to a homeless mother and experienced street-level homelessness myself at 19. So I come to this issue with empathy, but also with an eye for what works and what doesn’t.
We need to support providers who can bill Medicaid and leverage outside funding, not rely entirely on local taxpayers. Programs like Hope Village need accountabilitY....when $3 million helps 100 people, we should ask if we can help more people more efficiently.
At the same time, Longview’s response shouldn’t be just about shelters—it’s about mental health, addiction treatment, job pathways, and dignity. That means coordinated services and fewer bureaucratic gaps.
My vision for Longview is rooted in positivity—through both our language and our actions. You can’t negative your way to a positive solution. A few years ago, Longview had a strong PR push that led to a standout article in Forbes—a piece our economic development leaders still use today. And the truth is, we have even more to offer now.
What we need is a city leadership team that’s not just focused on policy, but also invested in amplifying the voices already doing the work—business owners, community leaders, and advocates.
As a marketing professional, I know how to get Longview back in national headlines, and I know what kinds of partnerships are waiting for a city ready to think big. We don’t have to wait to be discovered. We just have to start telling the right story again.
