SNOHOMISH COUNTY:
Dave Somers faces three challengers for county council

by POLLY KEARY, EDITOR

The race for County Council Position 5, including the Sky Valley region, will include Democrat incumbent Dave Somers and three Republican challengers.

Dave Somers

	Dave Somers

Dave Somers served on the council for four years until 2001, then lost his seat to Republican Jeff Sax. He ran again in 2005 and won the seat back.

“Dave Somers was first elected to the Snohomish County Council in 1997 following a long career as a fisheries biologist where he worked tirelessly to stem the decline of the Puget Sound and bring together diverse coalitions to protect our region’s fisheries” wrote his campaign. “He has also founded and managed a very successful small research and education business.

“Somers, re-elected in 2005, has followed through on his commitment to protect our neighborhoods, local businesses and quality of life. He strives to find win-win solutions when faced with divisive issues and his success is best demonstrated by early endorsements from both the home building industry and leading environmental conservation groups, including prominent Democrats and Republicans, farmers and fishermen. Dave believes we must all work together to keep Snohomish County a wonderful place to live and work.

“Dave is running for re-election so that he can continue his work towards public safety improvements, promote sustainable economic development and continue to make our transportation system safer and more efficient. Somers has made real progress in bringing together traditional foes to find common ground and work towards lasting solutions.

“Somers' balanced approach isn’t welcomed by everyone and he expects a very tough and expensive campaign. He has been the leading opponent against a Cowlitz County developers’ proposal to build up to 8,000 homes in rural Snohomish County along Lake Roesiger. The developer, Dave Barnett, pledged to spend $2.5 million to unseat Somers if he refused to back down. Despite the threats, Somers remains strongly opposed to Barnett’s ill-conceived ‘mini- city’ proposal because he knows taxpayers would be forced to pay for massive infrastructure costs to pay for new roads, schools, parks, fire and police protection.

“Dave Somers is our voice in county government and has proven time and time again that he can’t be bought and won’t be bullied.”

Steve Dana

	Steve Dana

Steve Dana is running for County Council to bring Common Sense back to County Government,” wrote his campaign. “Average taxpayers deserve a leader representing their interests not special interests. ‘Balance’ is a word that describes his goals if elected. Steve is also a fiscal conservative. He knows how hard you work for your money and when the government collects it in taxes, he will be as careful with it as you would.

“Steve’s plan for Snohomish County has five points.

1. Budget Discipline & Accountability: Every dollar spent comes from your taxes;

2. Re-Evaluate the Size and Role of County Government: Lean budgets force us to do more with less resources;

3. Support Business: Private Sector businesses produce jobs and tax revenue to pay for services;

4. Balance Environmental Policy with Cost to Taxpayer: Taxpayers want to protect the environment but policies cannot break their budgets;

5. Adopt Land Use Policies that work: Property rights must be respected. County Planning is out of control.

“Steve has a long leadership history serving the community. He and his wife Noreen have owned a restaurant called The Hub in Snohomish for 24 years and spent the last 22 years serving the city of Snohomish; eight years on city council (five as mayor) and ten years on the city planning commission.”

He also served five years on the Snohomish County Tomorrow committee, including three years on the executive committee. He has been a board member on the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce, and belongs to the Snohomish Affordable Housing Group, the Snohomish Jaycees and the Snohomish Lions.

“Steve would serve with a significantly different style,” his campaign wrote. “First, he would work to develop a dialog with the county executive; the current impasse is unacceptable. Second, he would create a dialog with constituents through quarterly community meetings. Council members need to interact with voters to develop confidence that both are paying attention to the other.”

Greg Stephens

	Greg Stephens

Greg Stephens of Maltby is also running. Stephens in 2006 led an unsuccessful charge to incorporate the community of Maltby and to annex a large swath of the south central part of the county, and ran for county council as an independent in 2005.

“I believe public service is the highest calling that a person can follow. I think that without knowing it, mine started by listening to and reading of my father’s story of WW II service. He flew in bombers, was a prisoner of war in Germany, and retired as an Air Force lieutenant colonel after 37 years service. Service was the operative word in our house, wrote Stephens.

“After school and AFROTC, I became a deputy sheriff. Afterwards I went into emergency medicine and was an ambulance driver for nearly 30 years. That meant getting in, rolling up your sleeves to work intelligently and quickly, to effect a life-saving outcome through teamwork.

“Moving to my little house in Maltby in 1986 I have seen the changes occurring over the years in our East County areas. By the 1990s I did not agree with some of those changes and became involved in protecting Little Bear Creek from pollution.

“I am a hunter and fisherman, NRA Life Member, and I moved here to enjoy the fish and game opportunities. But pollution and bad land use planning wipes out both. My boyhood hero was Teddy Roosevelt, the hunter-conservationist, NRA member, Republican. He saved the American wildlife and public land legacy for future generations. I would follow that example and become involved in county issues for the next decade.

“I started with Little Bear Creek Protective Association, was appointed by County Executive Bob Drewel to represent Snohomish County in a Brightwater Architect Selection Panel, appointed by Executive Aaron Reardon to a Low Impact Development Ordinance task force, by former Sheriff Rick Bart to the Sheriff’s Advisory Council, became a Snohomish County Tomorrow-Community Advisory Board member, U.S. Highway 2 Safety Coalition member, vice-president of CREST (Citizens for Responsible Education and Shooting Trust) to advance the Sultan Basin shooting range park, and spent 10 years advancing the citizens of our area toward the future City of Maltby.

“These all have to do with the conservation of our streams and forests; with intelligent development alongside them, not instead of them.

“The key to doing these I have discovered, is the elected members of government. They can champion good policy ideas, approve them, or kill them. The people of Maltby and East County have seen much to disappoint, and little to cheer. I wish to change that.

“The last four years have seen much political in-fighting in county government with litte teamwork, but not much progress to write home about. That must change, so I decided not to complain about it but to do something.

“Service, the operative word, do it.”

	Vern Little

Vern Little

Vern Little of Lake Stevens is also seeking the seat.

Vern Little has served as the mayor of Lake Stevens since 2006, replacing Lynn Walty by appointment when she stepped down, then winning re-election in 2007.

He works as a quality manager at Boeing, where he has worked for 30 years. He has also been a member and president of the Lake Stevens Junior Athletic Club, and has been a basketball, baseball and football coach.

He is co-chairman of Snohomish County Tomorrow and is a member of the Department of Emergency Management.

He did not send information for this story, but did send a photo.

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