Bob Myhr

I do not and have not advocated a reservations system for our San Juan runs of Washington State Ferries (WSF).   Statements to the contrary by my opponent are simply incorrect and a distortion. They may be considered an attempt to discredit my efforts to explain why WSF plans to implement reservations and my openness to discuss and analyze the many problems and questionable benefits associated with reservations here in the islands.  I am happy to discuss further with anyone who wants to go into the details.

Since WSF has indicated a commitment to implementing a reservations system,  its management has also said it will seek broad public input into the process of planning how a reservations system might work here.  Our local Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) will be providing extensive input.

If a reservations system must be implemented, we have an important opportunity, and I would say serious obligation, to help shape what that system would look like and how it might work to benefit our community.  Taking an adversarial position will liably not help us.  It is in our best interests and makes the most common sense to work with WSF as it develops its plans and before they are implemented.

As I have repeatedly said,  my priority on behalf of our island community is to maintain the excellent working relationship now established with WSF (both at the local offices and with Director David Moseley) for optimum operations and scheduling for our island ferries*, while working in Olympia to gain more legislative support for funding of new boats and terminal facilities.

For more info see: bobmyhr.org

* This summer’s schedule had a lot of problems that were partly created by WSF trying to get maximum boat utilization under the new “touring watch” rules of the US Coast Guard.

In my earlier comments on campaign spending, I noted that one key expense in a political campaign is having yard signs.  I really don’t like signs and what might be termed “sign blight” on our landscape.  Nevertheless, they are a necessary evil of political advertising of one’s candidacy.

During the primary campaign, we initially used recycled signs.  Several “disappeared” or were stolen and not to be found, and we purchased a few more.  Some of the new ones vanished as well.  Now our signs are gone, temporarily.

We took down our campaign signs at the end of the day of the primary. They will not appear again until at least 45 days prior to the November election.  We can at least have a little “sign relief” until then!      —-  Bob Myhr

As we move into the second phase of this campaign, I will continue to take a common sense approach to all issues and try to demonstrate my ability to use good judgment in making decisions that affect our community.   I welcome your comments and suggestions.  I will continue to focus on specific priorities:

.  Firm county budget discipline in this difficult economy, including gradual expansion of our financial reserve fund
.  Cut costs and reduce management and staff overhead by identifying essential public services, combining county departments where practical
.  Support stability in county planning staff to keep experience and efficiency in permitting and long-range planning and to complete GMA compliance
.  Provide staff support for the Lopez Village Planning Committee for a village UGA subarea plan
.  Fight to keep our full-service transfer station on Lopez, give full support to Neil and his staff, keep self-haul, keep Neil`s mall, improve parking, encourage free recycling (preferably source-separated), no mandatory curbside pickup but continue private garbage collection for those who want it —and do all in an economically viable way with the least amount of overhead possible, and make sure we can pay for it
.  Maintain the excellent working relationship now established with the local operating managers of the ferry service for optimum operations and improving schedules  for our island ferries, while working in Olympia to gain more legislative support for funding of new boats and terminal facilities
.  Preserve natural areas, open spaces, farmland
.  Complete review of Critical Areas Ordinance and Shoreline Master Program update, adopting a tailored approach based on best available science with utmost respect for private property rights and within state guidelines
.  Complete renovation of Odlin Park, with a place for the memorial cannon and ball field, and acquisition of Odlin South as park reserve
.  Protect the islands from potentially devastating oil spills
.  Support senior centers and affordable housing alternatives
.  More walking trails
.  Expand teleconferencing for meetings, including facilities for Shaw
.  Support the Lopez Island Prevention Coalition for a healthy, drug-free community
.  Carry out a thorough review and evaluation of the County Charter with the Charter Review Committee to be elected in 2011
.  Work to place BLM lands in National Conservation Areas status
.  Listen to diverse views before making decisions

For more info and a list of those who endorse these priorities go to: bobmyhr.org

“Spending much of my career on land-use and transportation issues, I’m much impressed with Bob Myhr.  He listens to constituents on these issues and is forward thinking.  With the Preservation Trust, he really moved the County forward on conserving open space.  On another front, as treasurer of our homeowners’ association he’s done an admirable job of managing our financial resources and improving the long-term viability of our water system.”

—-  Peter Everett

“When it comes to protecting our environment BOB GETS IT. I appreciate that!”

—-  Jane Werntz Ward

“For the last 3 1/2 years I have had the privilege of serving on the County Council with Bob Myhr.  Bob is always prepared, asks tough questions and looks out for Lopez and Shaw as well as the rest of the County.   Lopez and Shaw are fortunate to have Bob Myhr represent them on the County Council.”

—-Gene Knapp

See more of Bob’s endorsements at bobmyhr.org and click on Supporters

For the past two years, the County Council has been reducing the annual budget.   Total reduction has has been more than $1.3 million,  or approximately 10%, in the ‘county current’ budget.  A month ago, the Council took another $265,000 out of the 2010 budget, including cooperation of 115 employees, including all Council Members, who took voluntary furloughs (no pay on furlough days) to help reduce county expenses.  The bad economy has forced us to make  difficult budget and staff reductions.  We have also made a start on setting aside financial reserves.

In addition, for the past two years the County Council has voluntarily requested to the Salary Commission* that the Council Members NOT receive a cost of living (COLA) increase, because of the difficult budget situation, even though other employees received COLAs.  As a result of the Council request, Council Member salaries have not been raised in the past two years.   Moreover, we voluntarily reduced our salary by 2% for the second half of this year (2010) by taking a voluntary 2% furlough– a small reduction in pay—to help with further budget reductions and provide leadership for the difficult budget-cutting measures.

*(The salaries and benefits of all Elected officials, including Council Members, is set by the Citizens’ Salary Commission)

For more info see: bobmyhr.org

I first met Bob Myhr when donating a Preservation Easement on our Lopez property to the Preservation Trust. We have been friends and fellow birders since, but it is his commitment to the conservation of these islands that has motivated me to get off my duff and help him get re-elected to the County Council.

Bob’s strong voice for conservation is needed more than ever. As our island’s population grows ever larger and more diverse, we need Bob’s perspective and knowledge and connections to hold fast to all that makes these islands what they are, which we so love.

Bob was not the only one working to save Lopez Hill but without him it would not have happened.

Bob is not the only one working to preserve farm land and put it back into the use of young farmers who could otherwise not farm, but his strong voice has been effective in making this happen.

Bob’s conservation imprint on these islands is enormous and we would be very foolish to let his voice go silent in the halls of County Government. While everyone is for conservation these days, few have the ability to make it happen. Bob does. Let’s re-elect him to the County Council.
—   Oakley Goodner

To see Bob’s long list of endorsements go to bobmyhr.org and click on “supporters’

As the representatives to the Ferry Advisory Committee in Bob Myhr’s district, we support Bob for re-election. As Bob has said on his list of priorities, his goal is to “Maintain the excellent working relationship now established with the local operations team of the ferry service for optimum operations and scheduling for our island ferries, while working in Olympia to gain more legislative support for funding of new boats and terminal facilities.”

During the last two years, ferry service has deteriorated largely due to change in Coast Guard regulations causing discontinuation of “Touring Watches,” a work schedule that was preferred by most of the San Juan County ferry workers and allowed more efficient use of our resources. During this time, communication between the Ferry Advisory Committee, the County Council, and Washington State Ferries has improved considerably. Bob Myhr’s attitude of cooperation and relationship building (rather than combativeness) has contributed to WSF’s greater attention to needs of San Juan County. In our view, Bob and the other members of the County Council have not abandoned their efforts to convince the Coast Guard to reinstate Touring Watches.

As residents of the county, we must all understand that the cost of our ferry system is $50 to $60 million per year, and the system runs an annual loss of about $20 million. Because of revenue shortfalls in every part of state and local government, we cannot demand that WSF bear a greater financial loss on our route. Rather, through a cooperative and constructive approach to management, we can work to achieve the greatest benefit from the resources available to us.

John Whetten
Lopez Island Representative

John Brantigan
Shaw Island Representative
San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee

I have always and enthusiastically supported Neil Hanson and the Lopez transfer station.  Check with anyone on Lopez or in Friday Harbor.

I did not advocate or support the administrative move to co-mingled recycling and staff reductions at the Lopez transfer station.  We had a superb operation on Lopez, there were accounting issues, and it should not be changed.  Costs should be cut elsewhere in the solid waste system, such as in the troubled San Juan Island transfer station.  Nevertheless, the solid waste department took the actions to reduce costs on Lopez.   (Under the Charter, Council Members no longer have administrative management authority to interfere in the operations of county departments such as solid waste.)

Three months ago, after the move to co-mingling, I proposed to both the County Administrator and the County Council that the Lopez transfer station separate two higher-value items, aluminum cans and cardboard, and sell them on a trial basis to recover some costs.  This proposal was flatly rejected.   One of the arguments was that San Juan and Orcas had been co-mingling recyclables for ten years and that Lopez could no longer afford it.  Moreover, although counter-intuitive, co-mingling recyclables actually does cost less and more types of plastics and other items can be recycled.

However, here is the main issue of concern with our Lopez transfer station today, and others speaking out on this issue must take this into account and fully understand the complex economics of solid waste:

We have to make sure we even have a transfer station on Lopez!  That may sound radical, but given these difficult economic times, as we have had to cut costs, close days of operation on Orcas and San Juan(but not on Lopez), reduce staff, and look at a new garbage long-haul contract in 2012,  there continues to be mention of closing down our Lopez transfer station completely and going to mandatory curbside pick up.  Nobody wants that!

I will fight to keep our full-service transfer station on Lopez, give full support to Neil and his staff, keep self-haul, keep Neil’s mall, improve parking, encourage free recycling (preferably source-separated), continue to have voluntary contract garbage collection by the contract hauler, and not have mandatory curbside pickup—and do the foregoing in an economically viable way with the least amount of overhead possible, and we will have to make sure we can pay for it.  I will fight for these goals for Lopez as we develop a new county solid waste plan.

Running for office costs money.  Candidates need money for ads, websites, posters, yard signs, printing, postage, and more.  These expenses add up in a hurry.  In my current campaign, my campaign committee is trying to keep these costs as low as possible yet get my message to you, the voters.  My ads are small, posters pc-printed, yard signs recycled, and I am using the electronic media.  (www.bobmyhr.org, http://blogs.islandsweekly.com/bobmyhr/, and other sites)

Here in Washington State our campaign laws provide for the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) which provides information on the financial background of candidates and tracks major donors to campaigns above certain limits, so the public can see the donations for those campaigns that spend heavily.

In my campaign for re-election to District 6, I have chosen to file for “mini-reporting’ with the PDC.  That means that in addition to my filing fee of $337.18, I will raise and spend no more that $5,000, and I will not accept more than $500 from any one contributor, except myself.  Because I will limit spending and donations will be small, no more reporting to the PDC is required.   Donor records are open for inspection by appointment  in the week prior to the election.  Being fiscally conservative, I actually hope to spend much less than $5,000!

Other candidates, however, have chosen to file for “full-reporting” with PDC and can accept gifts up to $800 from any one contributor and have no limits on how much they can spend!  With “full-reporting,” these candidates who plan to spend a lot file regularly with the PDC, and the records of all the donors are available to the public on line at any time.  Simply go to PDC website (www.pdc.wa.gov), search the database for the candidate, and read the detailed reports of who is giving money to the candidates.

You can see the difference in approaches by glancing at the political advertisements of the candidates for District 6.  I will not try to outspend the other candidates, but rather I want to earn my re-election through my actions and priorities.  My ads are small, but my commitment to serve every one in District 6 is great.  And I have a lot of committed supporters behind me.  Check out www.bobmyhr.org and click on supporters.