Occupation: Bookkeeper

Relevant experience: Over the past 45 years I have worked and volunteered in the communities where I lived. I am employed as a fulltime bookkeeper, continue to be involved in Habitat for Humanity of Grays Harbor and stepped up to work on the Aberdeen School Budget Advisory Committee last fall.

Describe your thoughts on the city’s response to the complex homeless issue, including its purchase of the S. Michigan St. property, its handling of federal court rulings directing the city’s response, and what you, as a city council member, would do to tackle the issue over the next several years.

I support the efforts the City has taken in response to the current homeless issue in Aberdeen. The Federal Court made it clear that in order to enforce our ordinances, we needed to provide a place for people to go. A secure site with rules and security is definitely a step in the right direction. The current site at Aberdeen City Hall was never meant to be permanent. I believe the Ad Hoc Committee did their due diligence and chose the best spot they could identify to move the current mitigation site. I do not believe this is going to be the downfall of Aberdeen. I work across the street from the current site at the City Hall. I continue to walk in the downtown area and walk alone to perform work errands without fear. I do not believe there has been major enforcement challenges at the site and have not noticed any issues at our place of business as a result of the mitigation site across the street. The police are close by and are available to address any short-term disruptions and city staff is learning more about what it takes to keep the site orderly and enforce the rules.

The mitigation site is a “short-term” solution to this complex issue. I am still hopeful that we can bring everyone together (county, neighboring cities, local agencies) to work together to help people find the support they need to get into stable living situations. The key to this is communication and cooperation. We need counseling, jobs and affordable housing to accomplish these goals and to make a dent in solving these issues. The City of Aberdeen cannot do this alone; it will take time and effort on the part of everyone in this county and everyone will continue to learn lessons on the best way for our community to mitigate the downside effects.

The city is moving forward with its quest for a City Administrator. Do you believe such a hire is a good investment for the city? Do you support the idea of a City Administrator?

This is a position I support. A City Administrator would bring continuity to the city government and efficiencies working with the departments to create a well-run city. A city administrator would take charge of the day to day operations allowing the Mayor and City Council members to create policy, manage the budget and work to make improvements to infrastructure, jobs and affordable housing.

Having a city administrator would provide professional oversight and coordination between Public Works, City Engineering, Streets, and the Community Development Department. There are some major infrastructure projects in the city’s future including the Frye Street Pump Station, the North Shore Levee project, the Fuller Street round-about, the Heron Street Bridge replacement project, as well as planned street improvements. In addition, the city is looking at redoing their Comprehensive Plan which will be critical in planning and building for the next 20 years.

3. Aberdeen faces a lot of complicated issues in the coming years (infrastructure improvements, catching up with a constantly changing economy, lack of affordable housing, etc.). As a council member, what would you do to address what you feel is the most pressing issue facing the city in the near future?

All cities face difficult decisions balancing revenue and expenses on a daily basis. I think as council members we need to be mindful of this balance. Growing our economy and creating more jobs would help generate more revenue for our city and create a better quality of life for our citizens. Improving our infrastructure and encouraging private investors would help stimulate our economy for further growth. It is important to ensure we maintain and take care of what we have and that requires using our revenue wisely and controlling and prioritizing expenses. Creating new jobs, finding ways to fund and build affordable housing through public/private investment, and by creating new business opportunities in our community, I think we would be well on our way to a better future. My promise is to stay true to reviewing all issues before the council in a professional and thorough way and represent the citizens of Aberdeen to the best of my ability.