ISSUES
Okanogan County is as diverse as the people who live here.
This means we have a wide variety of issues that a County Commissioner must be able to handle with tact and compassion.
Emergent Issues
Land Use
For as long as Okanogan has been Okanogan, people have battled about proper land use. In the past these were limited to fenceline disputes and graze rights. In the current day we have to contend with water issues, zoning and lack of affordable housing.
Medical Care
Okanogan County already has a great medical staff base - but they need help. The hospitals are understaffed, underfunded and it is common to use the ER as a first resort visit after any sort of medical issue. We need to attract more well trained medical professionals to our community, and then give them a reason to stick around for the long haul to keep Okanogan great.
Business Creation
We've all had family members who worked at the local mills, mines, timber, fishing, ag and manufacturing sectors. Currently these industries are all gone or greatly reduced from what they used to be. Okanogan County could be a hub of innovation and
creation once again. Let's make it happen.
How we can fix these issues
If elected to be Okanogan County's Commissioner in District #1, I promise to work every day to represent ALL of Okanogan County. We're all on the same team and every voice deserves to be heard. I will be a Commissioner of the people, by the people, and for the people. There is no other way to truly lead a group than to listen and represent the spirit and the will of the people - Our County is no different.
Land Use
Growing up farming and ranching I know exactly how important personal freedom and land use freedom are. Red tape, regulations and the inability to look to the future is the fastest way to harm any industry. People need to be able to do what they want with their property. Our nation is built upon that notion and it is baked into the very bones of our Country. Without the ability to truly 'own' your own land and do what you see fit to do, is the land really yours? If elected I will work to reduce and eliminate red tape and ensure that Okanogan County has the best and most robust land-owner base in the state - backed by good, solid legislation that protects and affirms land-owner rights. We need a lot of new stuff in the County to meet growing needs - How can anyone do that if they can't build on their land?
This connects to public lands as well. The best way to grow interest in and promote the maintenance of our wonderful natural spaces is to ensure equal and fair access is granted to all people. A person who has never set foot outside in a wild area will probably not want to work to keep that area up - but a person who has a vested interest in and is engaged with the upkeep and maintenance of the same spaces will always try to do right by that space. The best way to make sure people want to protect the great outdoors is to make them a part of it - and that starts, every time, with access. If elected I will work to ensure people have access to wild areas to hunt, fish, hike, and just enjoy. These are our tax dollars at work - let's make them work for us instead of against us.
Medical Care
To attract the best medical staff possible, we as a County need to be able to offer their families the best of what we have. We need to increase commerce, access to public lands and give them recreation options that appeal to a wider variety of folks. Our current medical professionals are drowning. They don't have the support they need to thrive and grow - and by being limited in this way we too are limited. No one should have to wait a month to speak with their doctor - We shouldn't have to choose the ER as a first resort when something goes wrong.
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I know we're all tough here - I've spent my entire life in Okanogan, minus the decade I was in the United States Air Force - and we can usually get along pretty well by ourselves. That, however, isn't always the case. There will come a time you or your loved ones will need to go to the doctor - We want the best staff available to ensure your visit is quick, accurate, and helpful.
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If elected I will do everything in my power to ensure Okanogan has the best medical professionals available to us. We will work with the hospitals and local landowners to craft incentive packages to attract and retain only the best of the best. We deserve the best help here in The County and the medical professionals who choose to live here, deserve the best of what we can offer.
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Business Creation
I have a proven track record of creating living wage jobs both in the organizations I run, and in the areas we have influence. To my name, I have created or helped to create over 100 jobs in the Okanogan area in the past 5 years. These range from service industry jobs to customer support to manufacturing. You name it and my teams have put together amazing ventures that continue to play out for the benefit of Okanogan County.