RICHARD FRALICK

Fralick has a Ph.D. in physics and has worked as a scientist, manager and business owner. He has also served on many community boards and as a Freeholder in the County Charter formation.

Fralick’s motivation to serve on the council stems from his ability to solve problems. “I’m excited about that aspect of the job. When problems are complex, it’s exciting. I like to get my hands around it and crack this nut and get ahead and leave the place better than I found it.”

During a campaign, Fralick says there are “things you’re expected to do to get elected that have nothing to do with how you’ll serve. There are hard decisions to make regarding the budget, and the tension between property rights and the environment and building consensus in the community.

“You do the best you can and hope people will look at the jobs that need to be done and the ‘horsepower’ and experience you’ll need to do them.”

Producing a balanced budget is Fralick’s first objective as a council member. He notes that the County Auditor’s figures show that expenses have been growing over the lasts three years, “and if it continues, expenses will exceed revenue next year.

“The council doesn’t write the budget, but it sets policy and give the final approval.”

Fralick emphasizes that “essential services must be delivered in the most effective fashion and non-essential services must be prioritized.”

He adds that the growth rate of 11 percent increase in county employee expenses was less than five percent in the previous three years. He feels that in the current financial atmosphere, it’s essential to look at revenue forecasts. “It’s not realistic to expect the revenue side will get more robust.”

At the same time, he feels it important to establish a General Reserve Fund in the county’s budget, rather than contingency funds in individual budget categories. He cites both revenue and expenditures being around $53 million, and says it’s important to start to build a reserve fund, “We may not get up to the goal, but we have to start building.”

Fralick says, “If elected, I will work with my County Council members to establish policy of having a Reserve/ Contingency fund in the general fund budget at the 15 percent level.”

He sees a second critical issue of being in compliance with the Growth Management Act (GMA). “We’ve signed on, now let’s get on with it,” he says. Recent state Supreme Court decisions have “brought some finality to issues” that have been a basis for GMA appeals, Fralick adds, and “allow counties to have more flexibility in addressing the local situation.”

The benefits of GMA compliance are county eligibility to participate in available funding and certain knowledge of what property owners can do on their property, Fralick said.

His third priority for council attention is envisioning where the county wants to be in the future. “It was very important to the Freeholders to make the Council a legislative, not an administrative body, so that the council could strategize long-range planning. “That’s what’s so exciting about this time because, for the first time, we can start to do that,” he said.

Fralick hopes to improve county government by encouraging the success of the County Charter established in 2006, which would mean the council sets policy and directs the County Administration to follow policy, thereby giving the council “the opportunity to concentrate on the future and let the administration direct the county departments.”

Fralick suggests improvements can be made in efficiency and through consolidation, such as combining financial services in one office, instead of separate treasurer and assessor offices. He adds that one of the provisions of the charter is its review every five years. “Let’s get in front of this; if [consolidation] makes sense, let’s start looking at it because we’ll have the opportunity in two years to look at it.

“There is leadership in asking questions and effecting change.”

The candidates for the Orcas West seat on the San Juan County Council will take part in a Candidates Forum this Friday, Oct. 3, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall. Lynne Hobbs, a national facilitator and San Juan Island resident, will monitor the discussion between Richard Fralick and Mindy Kayl. The Sounder urges Orcas Island residents to attend the forum and get to know the candidates before voting for this four-year representative on the County Council.

MINDY KAYL

Kayl owns and operates a small farm on Orcas Island, and is a wetlands consultant. She is the current Chair of the Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC), and has served as a Freeholder in the County Charter formation in 2005.

When asked why she wanted to serve on the County Council, Kayl said that she’s “a lifetime leader,” even from 4-H days in the third grade, where she learned Roberts’ Rules of Order.

“I’m committed to the community and want to use new solutions to solve old, lingering problems,” Kayl said.

She had wanted to run four years ago, because she felt “the real voice of Orcas was not being heard on the county level.” But she wanted to prepare herself to represent islanders and as a Freeholder, she says “I learned how the county is designed and how the work done in existing positions could be improved.

“I was also appointed to the EPRC and learned about issues facing Eastsound and specific problems facing the county and especially, the Planning Department.

For Kayl, campaigning is “the opportunity for me to show the community who I am; the skills I have to offer and the lens through which I’ll look at problems. I’ve learned how important it is to get to know you elected officials and candidates, so that when you sign off on a ballot, it’s based on the knowledge of what both candidates have to offer.”

She looks forward to serving and being “able to empower those around me to respond as a group. As a leader, I’ll listen to well-designed advisory groups already in place; and I’ll work diligently with the other representatives on the council to come up with county-based solutions while giving a strong voice to Orcas West – including Crane and Waldron Islands — and our unique issues.

“I’ve learned how professional and effective our volunteer groups can be and how important it is not to duplicate work already done,” said Kayl.

Kayl sees balancing the budget as the most critical issue facing the council. She cites County Auditor Milene Henley’s reports to the council, most recently indicating a $1 million shortfall for 2009. Kayl says, “There are two things happening – less county income through property and sales taxes and more costs associated with goods, equipment and fuel.”

One way she would address a balanced budget is to help “establish clear set of development regulations that would, first, insulate the county from lawsuits and second, promote more timely process of permits which would generate revenue.”

She adds that the current financial situation will “dramatically affect the budget which is already tight. The county will have to look hard at any expenditure, while considering island people who are hurt by the downturn.

“The council will have to take a leadership role in helping people as well,” said Kayl.

A second critical issue, Kayl says, is balancing growth and preservation. “We have a requirement to develop a Critical Areas Ordinance. It’s an opportunity to bring development laws into compliance and pull together a clear set of regulations from the multiple layers of regulation we already have.

“We also have the amazing opportunity to be inventive and use ecology-based ideas to deal with development – specifically stormwater – we can have enhanced wetlands and rain gardens which provide both visual and habitat enhancement., and are much cheaper to put in than underground piping, detention ponds and man-made filtration systems.

Kayl feels the third critical issue facing her constituents is promoting a diverse and healthy economy. “There has to be an opportunity to earn a living wage and to generate income. The council can promote green industry and eco-tourism.

“Basically it comes down to the budget and strategy. Where do you spend money to implement programs and where do you design policy to encourage growth?”

She feels county government need improvement on community outreach – in education and in accessibility of county employees. The council, she says, has the responsibility to inform the community in advance of decisions being made. “The problem with county outreach now is they have public meetings and listen to the loudest voice..

“It has to go further than a Communications Manager speaking for the county,” Kayl said. She suggests additional outreach on the website, or a blog, and is committed to periodic meetings “on Orcas, in person, to promote access and offer information and insight to current county issues.”