I am proud to endorse Kari McVeigh for the District 1 County Council seat and urge my neighbors to do likewise. The contrast between candidates could not be sharper.

McVeigh has a long career in education and public service, has managed large organizations on the scale of the County government, budgets of the same magnitude as the County, and has extensive experience in collaboration and consensus-building. When Kari decided to run, she reached out to every major organization in the County, met with hundreds of people, learned about all the issues that face us, and formed an agenda which is broad and includes all the major issues we face.

Kari focused on the whole job, and her competitor appears to be running as a “single issue” candidate in some respects. We need more from our Council.

To be sure, permitting and land use are critical issues in our County, but we also face issues relating to water supply, energy availability, and how to manage the impact of tourism among many others. We need a Council which is concerned with the entire picture, not just part of it.

I encourage you to attend the candidate forums (or watch the recordings), read the questionnaires available from OPALCO, Orcas Exchange, and other organizations, and see the depth and quality of Kari’s preparation for this important position.

I believe Kari McVeigh is the best choice for our Council representative. She has my vote, and I encourage you to give her yours as well.

Mark Madsen

San Juan Island