Port Townsend City Council Candidates Discuss Their Visions

PORT TOWNSEND – E-bikes and deer are seemingly everywhere and affordable housing is nowhere. What can Port Townsend City Council do about this?

These were among the topics of the League of Women Voters Candidates Forum on Thursday evening.

“My wife and my small child were two of the people who were chased” by a doe defending its fawn, said Ben Thomas, candidate for city council post 1.

Thomas said he was among several who have reported aggressive deer behavior, according to Renee Klein, moderator of the forum.

Thomas and his opponent, Cameron Jones, both thought about slaughtering animals and using meat as a food source.

But, “I don’t think people are going to feel good about it,” Thomas said.

The deer question would be “a great place to get public comment,” he said.

“I would love to hear other people’s ideas on this.”

Jones, for his part, said trapping deer once or twice a year might be an option.

“Take them to a processing plant and bring in some venison,” he said.

During the forum, Thomas and Jones, both new to the campaign trail, answered questions previously submitted by the public.

The first hour was theirs; the second hour brought together Libby Wennstrom and Tyler Vega, candidates for post 5 of the city council.

The November 2 general election ballot will also include candidate Aislinn Diamanti, who is running unopposed for position 2.

Port Townsend City Council is set to cede three of its seven seats as mayor Michelle Sandoval and members Pamela Adams and Ariel Speser are not seeking re-election.

Regarding electric bikes, which have become popular throughout the city, Thomas and Jones were asked if they could update the city code to regulate them and how.

“I have an electric bike and I can ride up to 40 km / h. And that’s our speed limit in town, ”said Thomas.

“This speed is a game changer,” which is not a bad thing, he said.

More people riding bikes benefit everyone, said Thomas, who added that all arteries in the city should have clear cycle paths.

Jones, who also said he is a cyclist, touted the way e-bikes promote cycling.

Jones said e-bikes are more of an incentive for cycling in the community.

“I’m digging this,” he said, pleading for the creation of more bike lanes.

“Towards a greener future: this is where we need to go. E-bikes are great… I don’t want to punish people who ride a bike at all.

Klein also posed a question to the public about Port Townsend’s struggles with downtown parking, outdated zoning and an underused Jefferson transit system.

“What policies do you support to start unraveling this mess? ” she asked.

Higher housing density is one of the keys, Thomas said. A first step would be “smaller units on less land”, for a greater diversity of people living closer to each other, he added.

“Ben is right,” Jones said.

Much of the solution will have to do with better housing options – and its integration with the existing wooded environment instead of removing trees to make room for buildings, Jones added.

Jones wants to see a more inclusive Port Townsend; “Climate refugees”, as well as people of color and people of modest means should be able to live here, he said.

Vega and his opponent Wennstrom asked another round of questions during the second hour of the forum.

Klein asked them to give an example of a time when they put their egos aside for the good of the community.

“For me, it’s everyday; every day as a candidate… every day as a leader, ”said Vega.

If there is a disagreement, city council members – and anyone in public office – must “keep getting up and trying again,” he said.

“We have to evolve. So putting your ego aside is the basic premise of what I’m trying to put on the table. ”

Wennstrom responded with examples of her work not only with Jefferson County Democrats, but also as a costume designer for the Key City Public Theater and for the Port Townsend High School plays.

As the Democrats’ vice president, Wennstrom worked on “a ton of campaigns” – for other people, she said.

In high school, “you’re backstage with this bunch of kids, and the point is not to make a person a star,” she said. “The goal is to make everyone shine and help each other become better. “

This is what we do in a community sense, she added. If people work together for local causes, the community is stronger.

Vega is also a longtime activist, with tackling climate change – at the local level – being a major issue.

The elected function is to “cross divides which are very difficult”, he declared.

“I bring to the table the ability to do that… what we need is a wide range of perspectives on this board, and I think I’m putting that on the table,” Vega said. .

Wennstrom spoke at the forum about her 23 years in Port Townsend, many as a single mom.

“Now that my kids are raised, I felt like it was my turn to step up,” she said.

A recording of the Candidates Forum will be available on the League of Women Voters-Jefferson County website, https://lwvwa.org/Jefferson.

The ballots will be mailed out this week.

Residents who do not yet have to register to vote can do so online or by mail before October 25; information can be found on https://co.jefferson.wa.us/1266/Elections. After this date, residents can register in person at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., until election day on November 2.

________

Jefferson County Senior Reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or [email protected]