While Pacific County voters cast ballots only for candidates running in their own county commission district in the Primary Election, all county voters will have the opportunity to vote for the District 1 and District 2 commission positions on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot.
South Beach voters residing in Pacific County are in Commissioner District 3. District 3 Commissioner Lisa Ayers was elected in November 2014. Her position is not up for election for another two years.
In the race
Longtime Pacific County Assessor’s Office assessor, Lisa Olsen, is challenging first-term incumbent County Commissioner Steve Rogers, a retired public school administrator, for the Pacific County Commission District 1 seat.
More than 19-year Pacific County Fire District No. 1 commissioner, Fred Hill, is challenging first-term incumbent County Commissioner Frank Wolfe, a retired U.S. Merchant Marine officer and small business owner, for the Pacific County Commission District 2 seat.
District 1
The following is a compilation of statements from the candidates for Pacific County Commission Position 1:
Lisa Olsen (Democrat)
“It has been so interesting talking with many Pacific County residents about our county, its many positives and its challenges. One topic that continues to surface is the need for a more responsive and cooperative atmosphere from county leadership.”
Top three priorities
• Public Safety — “Balancing ever-increasing public safety needs with the also increasing strain this puts on the county budget is a top priority.”
• Economic development — “We need to pursue economic development while balancing the protection and conservation of our beautiful county while also encouraging a vibrant economy for those who choose to live and work here. We must maintain a healthy environment for our agriculture/aquaculture and business communities to thrive, while maintaining our rural atmosphere that we all love.”
• Public Health issues — “Drug use, mental health and homelessness are not just urban problems and contribute heavily to the pressures and strain on our law enforcement/court system.
“These very serious issues are just the beginning of the responsibilities of our county government. Communication and balance are the keys to addressing many of these issues. The county must be responsive to these issues, while also setting a tone that fosters approachability and cooperation with the municipalities and the citizens of this county.”
Citizen experience counts — “There are many people living in our boundaries that have a great deal of experience from their life’s work. I have met them regularly in my 35-year career with Pacific County. That experience should be drawn upon to keep the best ideas in the forefront to draw on in solving the problems and making the decisions involved in the daily running and long term planning for Pacific County.”
Steve Rogers (Democrat)
“I have been a Pacific County Commissioner for 3½ years. Previous to this work, I was the principal of a 1,600-student high school. I have a wealth of leadership experience, including currently serving on our local school board, currently serving as the president of our local historical society, and currently serving as president of our local Kiwanis club. I also represent our county on several regional boards.”
Top three priorities
• Affordable housing — “We need to work toward developing more affordable housing for seniors.”
• Permitting processes — “I will work with our Department of Community Development to streamline the permitting process.”
• Environmental concerns – “The County needs to help with resources to continue improving our code enforcement to protect our fragile environment.”
Economic development — “We need to support the industry that is here and help provide reasonable paths to growth. In North Pacific County, the marijuana production industry is booming. A newly renovated shrimp processing facility has just come on-line. The local alder mill is operating with over 40 employees and local oyster processing plants are busy. But overall unemployment is still at 8 percent, which is too high.
Communication ‘key’ — “One of the most interesting things I have learned during my tenure is just how deep and wide county government is. It is a rather complicated machine with a lot of moving parts. There is a lot of misunderstanding out there about what a commissioner can and cannot do and I don’t think we as commissioners do a very good job of letting folks know what we do and what we can and cannot do. We also don’t discuss our accomplishments, and there have been many in the past three years.”
District 2
The following is a compilation of statements from the candidates for Pacific County Commission Position No. 2:
Fred Hill (Democrat)
“I feel that with my 20-plus years as an elected official in Pacific County, 19 years with Pacific County Fire District No.1, and four years with Pacific County Hospital District, I will be able to understand the workings of all the other elected offices to help with long range planning.”
Top three priorities
• Zoning and building regs — “It is time to look at all the planning, building and zoning rules and regulations to see if there is any way to help residents be able to build on their properties in a timelier manner.”
• Realistic budget — “I will work very hard with the other two commissioners to pass a realistic budget and come up with good long range planning and goals for where Pacific County will be in the years to come. I have helped produce the budget for Pacific County Fire District No. 1 for many years. During that time, the budget has been in the black with necessary equipment replaced as needed, expansion of paid personnel and encouragement and appreciation of volunteers.
“I will make every effort to make sure taxpayers’ funds are spent responsibly where they are supposed to be spent. I will try to keep fees within responsible boundaries.”
• Equitable treatment — “As a county commissioner, we need to have fair and equitable treatment for all residents. There should not be complaint-driven enforcement without reason. I will listen to you. I will represent the entire county, not just my district.”
Help business
“I want to make all Pacific County residents glad to have chosen our county as the place that they want to live in. We need to see if there is any way we can help businesses to flourish without unnecessary restraints, but with well thought out rules.”
Frank Wolfe (Democrat)
“My science education, professional experience and temperament made me a problem solver, looking for ways to turn a liability into an asset. I am not afraid to look at unconventional solutions to a problem, while at the same time being mindful of consequences and limitations. Traveling the world exposed me to a broad range of cultures and different ways of doing things. My ability to think ‘outside the box’ has always served me well.”
Top three priorities
• Public Safety — “As part of my commitment to public safety, I have seen to it that the Board has raised the Sheriff’s budget every year.”
• Public Health – “As an example of my commitment to addressing public health issues, I helped form the new Great Rivers Behavioral Health Organization and am a charter member of the new board.”
• The budget — “Under the present Board of County Commissioners, the County is now in a better financial situation than it was four years ago. We continue to look for cost savings and efficiency gains wherever possible.”
Economic development
“We need to work as a team, supporting economic development to the extent possible. This county’s economy is based on fishing, shellfish, timber and tourism. All of these depend on our environment remaining healthy.
At the same time, reasonable, responsible development is positive for our region, as well. The two can coexist, and must, if we are to have a viable economy to support those whose livelihoods are here.”
Adapting to climate changes
“Our area is affected by unusual weather patterns. Storms are intensifying, and precipitation patterns are changing. I advocate against trying to actively mitigate these by attempts to further interfere with the weather itself.
In our case, relatively minor engineering changes to our infrastructure could compensate for any changes in the near future. In the long term, we may need to upgrade building codes, move neighborhoods to higher, safer locations and make other adaptations to make our coastal and riverside communities more resilient.”
