Elections in Ocean Shores

Driving around the peninsula, you notice political signs showing up in citizens’ front yards everywhere.

Elections for City Council in Ocean Shores are coming up. One sign particularly caught my attention and made me feel very uneasy. It says on a huge banner stretched across one house: “Vote Rich Hartman, Lisa Scott, Eric Noble.” Immediately, I was thinking “Is this a plot?”

Driving further, I noticed, signs in groups of three with the same three names on it. Eric Noble had vacated his seat of position 7 to challenge Susan Conniry for position 1. I cannot help but think that there is a plan to silence critical voices in the City Council.

Do we really need a pack of three City Council members who will vote the same way? I don’t know what Rich Hartman’s intentions are to run for City Council. He is a newcomer to Ocean Shores. Lisa Scott was appointed to a vacant position with a tie in council votes that was broken by the mayor. Eric Noble, whatever his intentions are, they are in my opinion, not good.

With the city losing one lawsuit that cost the residents of Ocean Shores a lot of tax dollars and the next one already filed, we need a balance of power in our city. We need a City Council that raises up their critical voices to find a common solution. A group of three amigos who hold together and vote together is not a good idea. We need independent council members who make our voices heard.

There are plenty of candidates out there, please choose wisely.

Gudrun Loewers

Ocean Shores