Frequently Asked Questions

As the incumbent candidate, what current county projects do you want to see to fruition?

In Chelan County, we're dealing with a lot of subjects that need our attention. The replacement of the Chelan County Regional Justice Center will be a big issue in the near future. We are also making great strides toward building a four-county diversion facility for Northcentral Washington. There’s a great need for a wood products campus, especially when we look at the health of our forests. Do we want to use these materials coming out of the forest, or let them contribute to more mega fires in the future?

Of course, we're always concerned about keeping taxes low while also keeping the roads paved and the bridges in good repair. We must utilize existing tax dollars to their fullest potential, whether it be through a community park, which is currently underway in Plain, or whether it be through other projects important to our communities. The Board is engaged in bringing new industries to town to help spread out the tax base. Specific to District 2, land use is a big topic, especially as we see orchard land being repurposed. How we walk that tightrope is incredibly important.

Why is having an experienced commissioner important?

No one tells you, when you run for county commissioner, how multi-faceted county government is. That learning curve is important because in order to contribute intelligently to a conversation you need the full back story. Looking at the tax increment area of Malaga, for example, it can be a confusing topic that we worked hard to educate the public about.

Let’s talk about the county jail, too. The jail is a costly operation to run in a facility is nearly 50 years old. Big decisions are needed soon. Having knowledge of obstacles that we've already overcome is a big advantage.

Balancing our tourism industry and its growth as a revenue source with the needs of our residents also is a mounting concern. As the chairman of the Chelan County Lodging Tax Committee, I am concerned about diversifying our visitor groups so certain areas of the county are not over-loved. District 2 is also the largest recreation district in the county. Having someone who lives in these impacted areas, from a county standpoint rather than an in-city standpoint, makes me a better candidate, I believe.

County governments around the state report having budget problems. How is Chelan County doing?

I think we're sitting in a very good position. In the past, we have budgeted for deficits, and we have been mindful of not abusing our reserve fund. Knowing that it's there if we need it and planning appropriately has made it so that we haven't had to dip drastically into it.

In my personal and business life, there are wants and there are needs. Wants can wait, but needs are now. An experienced commissioner is cognizant of what the needs of the county are, down to the individual departments. The goal is always to spend less than you have so you're ready for the next slow period, natural disaster or funding gap. We need to keep our reserve healthy enough to sustain us through the unexpected.

At some point soon, Chelan County will be putting money back into its reserve fund, and that comes through economic development and opportunities we're trying to provide for our established businesses and new businesses looking to invest in our community.

What’s something you’ve learned in your first term as a county commissioner?

Moving from the private sector into the public sector, I’ve learned there are different expectations from the wider population. And yes, it can sometimes be tedious to get things done in government, with different hoops you must jump through and different agencies you have to deal with. As the owner of a private company, you can pivot instantaneously with what's coming at you daily.

But I want to be clear – this doesn’t mean you can’t get things done in government. It just takes longer. Government moves more slowly intentionally because it involves so many more players. It takes building relationships at the federal, state and local levels, and I have done that well these past four years.

I know I’m a people person and I’m kind of wired to being out in front as a spokesman or lead person when it comes to getting things done or moving a project forward.

What is your campaign strategy this year?

I think campaign spending is out of control. I think there's also a lot of election fatigue out there. People are tired of the constant campaign machine hitting them in every aspect of their lives.

Election donations also give a false representation of who voters support. We saw that in the primary this year with a candidate for the 12th District who raised over $200,000 in 24 hours. That person didn't even get out of the starting gate.

I've taken a different approach this year. I am not taking campaign donations. I'm recycling as much material as I can and doing more face-to-face time with the community. Voters can approach me at any of the different corners of the county where I’m often found. They can always reach out to me to talk about a particular issue or to ask a question. I will show up anywhere, anytime, and my record over the last four years has proven that.

Is there any misinformation about yourself that you want to clear up?

I'm very much a live-and-let-live person. I'm not going to let my personal beliefs affect another person's lifestyle. In this country, people are free to decide how to live their lives; it's not government's role to tell people how to live or where to live or who to live with. So I think that would be one of the misconceptions that's out there about me, because, yes, I have conservative leanings for my life and for my family. But I certainly don't look down my nose at someone who doesn't have my same belief system. Live and let live.

In my own life, I've always wanted to be self-made. I can move mountains if I'm given the appropriate tools. I have been bet against many times in my life and, the majority of those times, I prove people wrong. If I'm told that I won't be successful, that's going to make me work even harder to prove to myself that I will be.