Our San Juan County Commissioners race has two very different candidates. Stephanie O’Day is an islander, who has lived and worked here for 40 years. She wants to simplify and streamline county government, making our islands a place where a young family can live and have a career.

When I read her opponent, Kari McVeigh’s, platform statements the things that jump out at me are that she worked in “big” cities, for “big” agencies, with a “big” staff, and “big” budgets. But “big” is not what San Juan County needs. We need to plan to manage and live within a budget where an average person can afford to be here.

When longtime local EMS Chief Frank Wilson passed away he was replaced from off island with Jim Cole, a “big city” EMS administrator. Cole immediately started making things “big,” spending the budget surplus that Chief Wilson had carefully managed. Big new aid building, new ambulances, all the latest equipment/toys. When Cole used up that surplus he tried to double his budget levy, which was voted down. He tried again for a budget increase and was voted down, so instead of managing with what he had, he left his mess and went to another agency.

We didn’t learn and brought in an off-island “big city” Fire Chief. One of his first “big” moves was to try to absorb the EMS Unit under his command, making his agency and empire “bigger.” We voted that down, so his next move was to try and radically increase the fire levy, making his budget “bigger.” When that was voted down he packed up and went to another agency.

We don’t need “big,” we need a longtime local for commissioner, who understands our island, our budget and most of all the regular people who want to live here full time and raise a family to make a caring, successful “small” community. That person is Stephanie O’Day.

Scott Brennan

San Juan Island