I am casting my vote for Kari McVeigh for San Juan County Council, and I urge you to do the same.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Kari at lunch with a friend. I hadn’t spent time with her before, and over the course of an hour and a half, we discussed her life, career, and vision for our community. I was thoroughly impressed by her intelligence and analytical skills. Kari has held leadership roles in large, complex organizations with significant budgets, where managing people and finances is a daily task, and is directly relevant to the role of a County Council member.

Kari has extensive knowledge of our community, infrastructure, governance, quirks, and characters. She lives on San Juan Island but has also worked with the school district on Shaw Island, demonstrating her commitment to our broader community. Her ideas for the county go beyond simplistic slogans and talking points; she genuinely knows the community and cares about our future. Kari made such a strong impression on me that, after our lunch ended, I immediately went to her campaign website and made a sizable donation.

At the candidates’ forum that I attended, she showed that she could play well with others, work as a team member and build alliances with colleagues and the public without alienating others. It was also apparent that she had a broad vision of good governance for the county, rather than having a primary axe to grind.

I am confident Kari will bring dedication and expertise to the council, making her an excellent choice for the position.

Barry Jacobson

San Juan Island