VOTE411 Voter Guide

Respectfully. Your voice matters and you deserve a representative who listens to, responds to, and respects you. To represent you, I need to hear from you. Email or call me. Let’s meet for coffee or a walk. Your ideas are important to me. Access and transparency are important.

I have supported increased access to the city council allowing you to participate in meetings from home, Coffee’s with Council to enable real back and forth discussions about issues, and recently, translation services at meetings when requested. Participating in city surveys and open houses are other ways for your voice to be heard.

In addition to complying with state and federal environmental laws, Ellensburg should proactively ensure the environment is safe and sustainable for residents.

I am the Council liaison to the Ellensburg Environmental Commission, which advises the City Council on urban forestry, bicycle infrastructure and education, and provides water quality grants. I have supported the Arbor Day and Tree City programs, stream and floodplain protection, and led efforts to become designated a Bicycle Friendly Community.

As a member of the Utility Advisory Commission, I participated in the drafting of the Sustainability and Energy Plan which provides Ellensburg with a roadmap for reducing air pollution.

I am a founding member of the tri-county Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Recovery Board which recommends Salmon Recovery grant projects to the State and participates in recovery planning.

I have served 6 terms on the Ellensburg City Council and before that, one term on the Library Board. In addition to the boards and commissions mentioned above, I currently serve on the Kittitas County Airport Advisory Commission where I have advocated for policies to attract business to Bowers Business Park. In my time on the Council, I served on a broad range of commissions including the city Lodging Tax Advisory Commission (chair), Non-motorized Transportation Plan and Code Ad Hoc committees (chair), and Animal Shelter Ad Hoc (chair). I have served on county committees including Homelessness Ad Hoc, Developmental Disabilities, County Flood Control Zone District Citizen Advisory, Shoreline Master Program, and Solid Waste Advisory. State service includes the RCO Recreational Assets of Statewide Significance, and Bicyclist Safety Advisory Committees. All of these experiences have added to my knowledge and understanding of these policy areas and make me better prepared to serve you.

I support the joint City-County effort to provide a cold-weather emergency shelter during the winter months, and a warming/cooling center at Hal Holmes Community Center on very cold/warm days. These are life-saving measures and cost less than if people in crisis seek shelter in the hospital or jail. There is not currently a community consensus regarding a year-round homeless shelter.

Preventing homelessness should be a priority. Community partners provide people on the edge with support such as eviction assistance and transitional housing, as well as mental and behavioral health support. Other supports include food and energy assistance and Central Transit. The whole-person care approach has already reduced homelessness in Ellensburg.

Homelessness increases as rents increase. I am also working for housing affordability by partnering with builders for more rent-restricted housing and removing barriers in City code to allow more variety in market-rate housing types.

I am working to preserve what we love about Ellensburg as we grow -

- our small-town character with a caring, involved community; with living-wage jobs and housing we can afford in great neighborhoods; with professional police supported by mental and behavioral health partners; with connections to nature; with arts, sports, and activities for all ages; a place that honors history while celebrating diversity.

- our thriving historic downtown that makes Ellensburg unique; it is an economic engine, a tourist attraction, and a cultural center.

- responsible and accessible city services that meet community needs on a balanced budget.

Building on what we love will keep our small-town spark alive!

Transparency and accessibility are core to who I am. I plan to hold regular community office hours, attend neighborhood meetings, and maintain open communication both online and in person. I want residents to know they’re heard—whether it’s a conversation at the farmers market or a thoughtful email exchange. My approach to governance is collaborative, and I believe strong communities are built when elected officials listen deeply, engage respectfully, and act responsibly.

Ellensburg has a responsibility to lead boldly on environmental sustainability. As a Planning Commissioner and a professional working in energy, sustainability, and infrastructure, I understand the critical role local governments play. We need policies that prioritize clean energy, climate resilience, and environmental justice. That means expanding green infrastructure, protecting our open spaces and water resources, and ensuring our transition to sustainability benefits every community—not just the most privileged.

I bring over 20 years of public service—locally and globally. I currently serve as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Ellensburg and have advised on democratic governance and human rights across Africa, Europe, Central Asia, and here at home. I’ve served as an election observer for the U.S. State Department, the European Union, the OSCE, and the National Democratic Institute. At Central Washington University, I led major diversity and inclusion initiatives and reformed curriculum to be more accessible. My service is always guided by a commitment to justice, equity, and democratic integrity.

Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis, not a criminal issue. Ellensburg must respond with housing-first solutions, wraparound services, and meaningful investments in mental health and addiction treatment. We need to build partnerships between local government, service providers, and community groups—and center the voices of people with lived experience. I will advocate for compassionate, data-driven policies that address root causes and uphold the dignity of every resident.

I envision an Ellensburg that is inclusive, forward-thinking, and resilient. A city where young families can thrive, seniors feel secure, students are welcomed, and small businesses flourish. A city that leads on sustainability, embraces diversity, and puts community well-being at the heart of every decision. My vision is grounded in the belief that local government can be a force for equity, opportunity, and hope.

Listening to them in one-on-one sessions, small groups, or big gatherings. Seek first to understand, then to be understood is one of my guiding principles. Phone, email, personal interactions are all ways to communicate. I will listen to all that are impacted by the actions of the City of Ellensburg.

While only people that reside within the City of Ellensburg are allowed to vote on the city council members, the actions of the council are felt throughout Kittitas County. Many business owners live in unincorporated Kittitas County and do not have a voice on the council; however, their concerns need to be listened to as well.

As a council member, I will be interacting with citizens, business owners, students, and visitors, in whatever way meets their needs. That could be a discussion in a formal meeting or a chat at the grocery store. Once elected, I will publish my official email and cell phone and encourage people to reach out when they have questions, issues, or concerns.

First, it is essential to follow existing laws and regulations. It is also important to routinely review laws and regulations to ensure they are meeting the needs of the community and having the desired effect.

In order to provide city services there will be a need to be a balancing test of impact on the environment versus needs of the community. An example of this is natural gas. The City of Ellensburg provides natural gas for heating and appliances. There are some advocates for getting rid of natural gas. This needs to be a strategic discussion and the impact of that change needs to be considered. Would it increase the cost utilities for lower-income citizens?

Working on solar energy and incentivizing residential and commercial use would assist in lowering the electrical load within the city. Also, exploring new technology that reduces electrical impacts. Smart homes with artificial intelligence show promise of reducing impact on the electrical grid. Be open to new ideas.

48 years as a firefighter, paramedic, chief officer and fire chief. For the last 20 years I served as the fire chief for Kittitas Valley Fire Rescue. During my time as fire chief, we increased staffing as funding allowed, built capital facilities, and replaced much of the capital fleet while being fiscally prudent and with the approval of the citizens.

I have served as a Rotarian for 18 years. I served on many boards, commissions, committees and task forces on local, state, national and international issues. During those efforts, I learned to work with people from different backgrounds, perspectives and ideology.

It is essential to listen to others in public service. Collaboration and sharing ideas, brainstorming if you will, always leads to better outcomes.

As someone that grew up in Ellensburg, I want to serve this community so that we don't lose our values and traditions as we grow towards the future. Growth cannot be stopped. It can be guided to lower impacts.

Over the past 48 years, as a paramedic and firefighter, I have had the opportunity to serve as a caregiver to many people experiencing homelessness. From small communities to cities like Seattle and Tacoma, people that are homeless have medical emergencies. I treated them with human dignity and compassion.

Ellensburg needs to have facilities that assist the homeless and we have already established some. Spurling Court according to their documents is supposed to have a certain stock of housing units available to house the homeless.

I think the citizens of our community are compassionate and giving. They are interested in taking care of our homeless. However, they do NOT want to become a magnet for the homeless. North 1st Street in Yakima, is not what we wish to become.

It is also important to understand what the causal factors are to the homelessness. Many have a drug-related or mental health nexus, and that will require other programs. This is a statewide issue.

I grew up in Ellensburg. My family shopped here in town for everything. We didn't drive to Yakima or Seattle to buy the goods and materials for a family of 7, it was all right here. We have lost much of our local purchasing power, which in turn hurts the business community and the tax base. I think it is vital to bring in additional business partners, especially consumer retail.

It is also vital that we invest in our youth. It disappoints me greatly that we have city facilities such as the pool that are not being maintained. I have a 7-year-old grandson, and we go play at our parks. Our parks are not being enhanced with play toys. As you travel to other towns and cities within Eastern, WA, I see great parks with fun and inviting play structures. Why aren't we partnering with the Parks and Recreation Program at CWU to enhance our activities? After school and weekend activities for our youth will likely correlate to reducing the youth crime wave, we are experiencing.