County Commission Candidates Answer Questions from Business Community
The Shelton-Mason and North Mason Chambers, along with the Economic Development Council of Mason County, collectively serve as the voice of the business community and we make it a point to be at the heart of important issues like workforce development, quality of life, and civic engagement. That said, we are not political action committees and do not endorse candidates; we are independent organizations led by the private sector. The Chambers and EDC provide nonpartisan information and host community education and outreach opportunities because we believe people have a right to know what candidates for public office believe about issues that affect our community. It is our goal to give every citizen the ability to learn more about policy making candidates and encourage you to get out and vote.
There are six people running for two seats on the Mason County Commission. (See a list of candidates who have filed for all positions.) Each candidate was invited to answer four questions posed by the Chamber. We hope these responses shine a light on their values and perspectives so you may begin to understand their viewpoints and make informed voting choices.
Note: The Chambers & EDC will not host a candidate forum for the August 6 Primary; there will be an in-person event hosted prior to the General Election.
Candidates for County Commissioner District No. 1
Ted Jackson
The candidate did not respond.
William “Will” Harris
What do you believe to be the role of a County Commissioner and what makes you an ideal candidate?
The role of a County Commissioner is to serve the citizens of the county. This involves day-to-day management of county responsibilities and by proactively addressing issues facing the county. A County Commissioner needs to make timely community-based decisions and provide responsible and transparent funds management.
Mason County is facing significant growth that will provide opportunities for new businesses, increased housing developments, expanded road systems, greater medical services, and others. At the same time Mason County needs to improve public safety by reducing the homelessness, addictions, and mental health issues impacting the county. We need a Commissioner with the experience, skills, and education to lead and collaborate with public and private organizations and businesses to address these challenges.
My experience, skills, and education perfectly align with these challenges. I’m a career U.S. Air Force Colonel combined with being a 15-year public sector project manager. In these roles, I was responsible for community planning, engineering, construction, public works, logistics, fire protection, and security. I’ve led small project teams and a 1,000-person public support organization and managed a $100-million annual budget. I was a Deputy Director of a $2.8-billion capital construction program. I’ve led and been a team member on multiple community planning efforts and as the project manager for large construction projects throughout my career.
The most difficult challenges that I’ve successfully resolved were situations that required significant reductions or increases in people and budgets. Many believe budget or staff increases are great, which they are, but they require hard concentrated leadership to successfully grow and improve a company or community.
Additionally, I’ve dealt with and resolved difficult and sensitive personnel issues. These include simple misconduct to spousal abuse, addictions, and child protection issues. My experiences provide a framework and knowledge base to address our county wide issues.
My education includes a Civil Engineering degree from Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, WA, and a Master’s in Civil Engineering (soils and roads). I’m a licensed Washington State Professional Civil Engineer. I’m a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Risk Management Professional (RMP) by the Project Management Institute.
The County continues to face financial realities and tough decisions will need to be made. What increase to revenue or reductions to expenses might you propose?
I believe revenue will increase as population growth occurs without a need for tax increases. I propose to keep taxes at current levels and as growth occurs consider tax reductions. I propose coordinating closely with the City of Shelton and other agencies to develop and consistently advocate for State funding through our 35th Legislative District legislators. This approach has proven very successful in similar situations throughout my career to secure additional funding.
What are you top policy proposals aimed at mitigating and preventing homelessness?
Homelessness is a challenging issue and is complicated by addictions, abuse, and/or mental illness. Many who have experienced homelessness for an extended period have come to accept this as their “lot in life” and have given up. All actions need to address helping individuals reenter society as contributing members and all actions must be Constitutionally legal.
We need a coordinated team effort between government (State, County, and City), business, non-profit, and faith-based organizations. We need to identify temporary housing options, addiction rehabilitation services and counseling, life skills training, combined with job skills development and opportunities, as a minimum.
This will not be easy. Many homeless, addicts, or abused citizens have lost hope. We need to help change this outlook through the proposal above and “tough love” by making homelessness and addictions less desirable. Actions need to include significantly reducing the flow of drugs into our county, increasing appropriate legal policing efforts, and publicizing through one-on-one contact the opportunities discussed above. The objective is to have individuals seek positive change through self-action in a supportive community.
If the County received $5 million dollars in funding to be used for any purpose, what would you do with it and why?
I would use $5 million to improve public safety and county services to citizens with two initiatives. The first initiative is to use $3.2 million to hire, equip, and train eight (8) Sheriff Deputies. This will provide added security and safety to all Mason County citizens by increasing the on-duty deputies from six (6) to eight (8) across the county 24/7. The $3.2 million will fund the deputies for two years. The second initiative is to use $1.8 million to identify and implement process efficiencies and information technology upgrades. The upgrades would be used to decrease the time in obtaining permits and licenses for citizens combined with internal county efficiency. The objective of the second initiative is to realize a $1.6 million per year savings to permanently fund the increase in Sheriff Deputies.
Randy Neatherlin
What do you believe to be the role of a County Commissioner and what makes you an ideal candidate?
The role and powers of County Commissioners are promulgated in RCW Title 36. As described in the
County Commissioner Guide, Commissioners are empowered to budget and appropriate funds for all
county activities; build and maintain county roads; make and enforce civil and criminal resolutions and
ordinances, including those for land use and building construction; support and implement state and
federal mandates; oversee all appointed county agencies; construct and maintain public buildings; fix
tax levies; authorize payments owed by the county and audit all officers having control of county
monies; manage county property and county funds; and prosecute and defend all actions for and
against the county.
During my 12 years as a Mason County Commissioner, I have successfully participated in budgeting and
authorizing payments for the entire county. These departments included the Sheriff, Courts, Prosecuting
Attorney, Public Defenders, Building, Planning, Health, Auditor, Assessor, Treasurer, Coroner, Jail, Clerk,
Parks, Facilities, Utilities, Roads, Solid Waste, Risk Pool, and so many more. I am deeply familiar with
each department’s needs and wants, and balance those with other departments’ requirements. I
consider how best to leverage the county’s revenues, debts, financial predictions, negotiated Union
contracts and expenditures to meet our obligations and position us to meet our long-term goals.
As one of the county’s chief administrators, I have debated and passed civil and criminal resolutions
regarding many local issues including building and land requirements. To maintain a balanced budget, I
often argue to decline rules requested over those required. I solicit input from stake holders who will be
affected by regulatory changes in an effort to gage their potential impact. I have proposed specific
planning, zoning and other land use regulations based on the will of the people.
I believe one of my most important jobs is to represent the voice and will of the people when dealing
with the state, federal or another county government. Believing that protection of the citizen is the primary reason for government, I have successfully increased the sheriff budget fron$9.7 Million when elected up to $17.8 Million dollars annually today. I try to ensure the people of Mason County are both included and heard. I never forget that the people are the boss and those to whom I owe paramount allegiance.
I am the ideal candidate based on my proven actions over my opponents hopes and dreams. Hope is not
an executable plan. I restored fiscal responsibility to our county. Cut budgets and live within our means
while all the time building financial security that every county wishes it had. We went from $175K cash
on hand in 5/17 up to $25 million cash on hand on 5/24 without raising taxes in years. As a
representative of the people, I am everywhere and anywhere they need me. I live by the quote, “If you
want to fix something, start by being there!” Even during Covid, I never left our people. I was always up
front doing anything I needed to do. You see me everywhere because that is what it takes to represent
you.
The County continues to face financial realities and tough decisions will need to be made. What increase to revenue or reductions to expenses might you propose?
We are in the best fiscal position in the entire history of Mason County. We now run a 25% cash reserve compared to 2% when I took office. Plus, we have millions more in reserve for IT, vehicles, capital projects and still have $6 million unreserved cash and that is just in the general fund. We have millions more reserves in Roads and Special funds. All this came through cutting budgets in lean times and living with our means at all times.
I was instrumental in restoring fiscal responsibility and moving our county onto a cash accounting basis. I worked hard to balance our budgets while building financial security. As a result, Mason County went from $175K cash on hand 5/17 to $25 million cash on hand in 5/24 without raising taxes in years.
My proposals brought in new revenues over the years by leasing rather than selling tidal lands or timber lands as we always did in the past. We now lease tidal land that we previously would have sold for $94K, for $17,000 a year and collecting a percentage of the harvest yearly. The county will now realize millions of dollars over the life of the lease. Due to my efforts, Mason County collected $1.28 million dollars from a timber sale on land that was being sold for $200k. By retaining, rather than selling, the county will benefit again from future timber harvests. We could still still sell the land if we chose. I am always looking for ways to increase revenue and can be counted time and again to reduce programs when not working or not needed. My work has been proven through our county bank accounts.
What are you top policy proposals aimed at mitigating and preventing homelessness?
Without providing free homes to all who need them, some homelessness cannot be prevented. Our small county does not have the resources to house all who are in need. What we can do is focus on the people we can help such as those who are close but cannot quite pay the rent. We already have many rent assistance programs that need to be better presented to those in need. We also need more section 8 vouchers available and usable for Mason County residents. I was on the board of Mason County Housing Authority where we had great success for a limited population. Next, we need to get housing rental prices down to an affordable rate, so our neighbors and friends don’t have to leave. I am working with several entities to bring more affordable housing into Mason County. My favorite is an organization looking into small 200 to 280 sq. ft. one bedroom and studio apartments. Utilizing smaller sizes, rents might be under $1,000 a month. That would be a game changer, especially for our elderly and handicapped homeless in the area.
If the County received $5 million dollars in funding to be used for any purpose, what would you do with it and why?
I would either use it to pay down debt or invest in our smaller governments entities and nonprofits like we did with APRA and Cares act funding. Some good examples include Fire District 4 where we gave $67,000 to put 5 new 10,000-gallon supply tanks around the areas where no major water source is available for forest and residential fire. We spent money for areas to get Wi-Fi access, pumps for public water companies, electric infrastructure, and the list goes on and on. We did this with the monies that came to us through these programs and found it to worked like seed money for better communities.
Candidates for County Commissioner District No. 2
Richard Beckman
What do you believe to be the role of a County Commissioner and what makes you an ideal candidate?County commissioners are integral to addressing key matters such as **building permits**, **infrastructure**, **budgeting**, and **problem resolution**. Similarly, real estate brokers navigate the complexities of **building permits**, **infrastructure**, **budgeting**, and **problem-solving**. As a managing real estate broker representing Mason County, my familiarity with county operations and procedures positions me uniquely. This experience equips me to serve effectively from day one, post-election, ensuring a seamless transition and immediate action on pressing county matters.
The County continues to face financial realities and tough decisions will need to be made. What increase to revenue or reductions to expenses might you propose?
Mason County, like many regions, is navigating complex financial challenges that necessitate both innovative and prudent fiscal strategies. Here are some proposals that could be considered to enhance revenue and reduce expenses:
Revenue Enhancement:
Tourism and Outdoor Recreation: Capitalize on Mason County’s natural beauty and potential for tourism by developing and promoting outdoor recreational activities.
Real Estate Development: Encourage residential development to expand the property tax base, which can provide a more stable revenue stream.
Expense Reduction:
Spending Reviews: Conduct thorough reviews of current spending to identify inefficiencies and areas where costs can be optimized.
Procurement Optimization: Renegotiate contracts and audit routine purchases to ensure the county is getting the best value for its expenditures.
Digitization: Implement digital solutions to streamline county operations, thereby reducing labor costs and improving service delivery.
These suggestions aim to strike a balance between generating necessary funds for the county’s operations while ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability. It’s important to approach these decisions with a comprehensive understanding of the county’s unique economic landscape and the needs of its residents.
What are you top policy proposals aimed at mitigating and preventing homelessness?
The initial step in my approach would be to regulate the use of public spaces by banning camping in public spaces, ensuring they are utilized in a manner that benefits the entire community.
We can only help the people that are willing to help themselves first .. i.e. offering a hand up approach, in lieu of continued hand out, enabling approach.
Homelessness is a complex issue that demands a strategic and empathetic response. Here are my refined policy proposals to address and prevent homelessness, inspired by proven methods and national guidelines:
1. Immediate Housing Access: Emphasize the Housing First, which provides individuals with housing immediately, serving as a foundation for accessing essential services and improving life circumstances.
2. Boosting Affordable Housing Stock: Advocate for an increase in affordable housing by offering incentives for developers, repurposing unused properties, and backing community-driven housing initiatives.
3. Proactive Support Programs: Establish proactive measures to support those at risk of homelessness, including rental aid, and access to emergency shelters.
4. Integrated Support Services: Deliver a suite of services encompassing healthcare, mental health counseling, addiction treatment, and vocational training to tackle the root causes of homelessness.
5. Unified Community Efforts: Promote collaboration among government, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to pool resources and direct them toward a goal of eradicating homelessness.
Implementing these policies transparently, with opportunities for public involvement, is essential to ensure they effectively address the specific needs of the community.
If the County received $5 million dollars in funding to be used for any purpose, what would you do with it and why?
If Mason County were to receive $5 million in funding, I would propose the following strategic allocations, designed to maximize the impact on the community’s well-being and economic development:
1. Infrastructure Advancement: Channel funds into the modernization and expansion of essential infrastructure, targeting water, sewer, roads, and bridges to bolster connectivity so we can create more housing. Creating this infrastructure will generate a return of investment as well the ability to reinvestment of those funds.
2. Housing Accessibility: Direct resources to the creation of affordable housing projects, addressing the critical shortage.
3. Business Growth: Inject capital into the local economy by offering financial support to small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, thereby catalyzing job creation and economic vitality.
4. Health and Safety Enhancement: Upgrade public health facilities and enhance emergency response services, with a special focus on law enforcement and fire safety.
5. Community Enrichment: Invest in the enrichment of public spaces such as parks, libraries, and community centers, which are cornerstones of civic life and cultural exchange.
6. Technological Progress: Dedicate funds to the advancement of technology within government operations, enhancing efficiency and accessibility for all residents.
This allocation strategy is designed to address immediate community needs while laying the groundwork for sustainable growth and development. It reflects a commitment to improving residents’ quality of life, fostering a stable economy, and preserving the unique character of our county. The emphasis on infrastructure, housing, and economic growth is in harmony with Mason County’s strategic vision and long-term goals, ensuring that the funds are utilized in alignment with the collective aspirations and priorities of our community.
Tom Beben
What do you believe to be the role of a County Commissioner and what makes you an ideal candidate?The paramount role of a commissioner, or any public official, is public safety. It’s also imperative to draft and balance a budget with the best interest of the entire county in mind. As a commissioner we work for the entirety of the county, not just our own district. I’ve spent 17 years in Mason County as a business owner, navigating the ups and downs of the economy, a pandemic and a natural disaster. We’ve managed not only to keep our business afloat through tough times, but to thrive by using our business as a catalyst for positive change throughout our community. I’ve been awarded both Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year by the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, we were awarded the Nancy Payne Workplace Excellence Award from the PAC Mountain Development Council and we’ve also won a Best of Western Washington Award from King 5 and Evening News. I’ve proven that through positive leadership, strict budgeting and community outreach that business in Mason County can thrive.
The County continues to face financial realities and tough decisions will need to be made. What increase to revenue or reductions to expenses might you propose?
I feel that Mason County is at a critical crossroads. We’re poised to take advantage of our unique geographical location and to build our future on tourism. I want to help develop a 10 year plan to embrace the opportunity to help Mason County shed the adage that we’re the Gateway to the Olympics and create a new identity as the Playground of the Olympics. By showcasing not only the natural wonders that the county offers but also promoting the existing businesses that bring thousands of people to Mason County each year we can import revenue in the form of lodging and sales tax. With that growth, we can make desperately needed infrastructure improvements to be more proactive for future growth.
What are you top policy proposals aimed at mitigating and preventing homelessness?
First and foremost, homelessness can only be solved with housing. I’d like to start by seeking grant funding from both the state and the federal government to help us identify municipalities and local governments nationwide that have developed programs that have had success with addressing homelessness, along with mental health and drug abuse. We need a collaborative approach at all levels to address each part of the homeless crisis. We have a real deficit in the rental market right now. I’d propose working with our State Legislature to expand current incentives for developers to build multi-family dwellings here with requirements that a percentage of those new units are rented on an income-based scale based on the AMI. I’d also advocate for creative new alternatives that integrate temporary housing with both mental health and drug treatment and education opportunities. I firmly believe that leading with compassion and offering a firm hand can help a great majority of these people become more productive and contributing members of our community.
If the County received $5 million dollars in funding to be used for any purpose, what would you do with it and why?
The issues at the forefront of the minds of nearly every person I’ve spoken with over the last 3 months have been mental health, drug abuse and homelessness. Using that funding to build a facility away from the downtown corridor that not only offers housing, but access to mental healthcare and drug treatment would be revolutionary for Mason County. Integrating educational opportunities through Olympic College and SPSCC can also help these folks to obtain the tools necessary to make the next positive steps in their lives. Sometimes it only takes one assisted step forward to make a lifetime of difference. We need to stop the cycle of passing blame and work together by taking an approach that tackles all three problems at once.
Patrick Tarzwell
What do you believe to be the role of a County Commissioner and what makes you an ideal candidate?
I believe in paving a path for a brighter future for Mason County, determining the obstacles and speed bumps that stand in the way of achieving those goals, and creating a strategy to overcome those while understanding that the role of government is to protect and maintain individual rights. Growth is coming to Mason County, and that is a very good thing. We need to be proactive to the coming growth rather than reacting. Simply put, it is cheaper to maintain the roads than to do major repairs while under traffic loads. Sewers are easier to put in before the need arises rather than afterwards. As a county commissioner I will work with local business and developers on effective strategies for this growth. Owning a manufacturing business for over 33 years, I have had to do just these types of things for my own business. I have dealt with growth at a very high rate in my own company, negotiated with vendors and suppliers to establish terms while avoiding crushing debt and handling the labor needs of rapid growth. I am an innovator with 5 patents to my name, demonstrating my ability to solve difficult problems and think outside the box. I taught the Constitution and Declaration of Independence for two years, so I have a firm understanding of what the role of government is at all levels. Our community will be well served by my experiences.
The County continues to face financial realities and tough decisions will need to be made. What increase to revenue or reductions to expenses might you propose?
I would like to see cuts in expenses before we increase spending or taxes. As stated above growth is coming, and with that will come an increase in revenue. We need to do things wisely such as using our public works more efficiently and increasing the number of jobs that they handle. Increasing the amount of road maintenance by chip sealing a road sooner, trimming back trees and brush to keep water off the roads, and keeping the ditches clear for run-off will drastically increase the life of a road thereby reducing the cost from major repairs. These are but a small sampling of cost savings that we could implement.
What are you top policy proposals aimed at mitigating and preventing homelessness?
The biggest causes of homelessness are drugs and mental illness. Drug problems can be reduced by drastically cutting back on the supply. More aggressive enforcement of drug crime will help to reduce this part of the problem. If Mason County is known as a tough place to buy or sell drugs, dealers will move to greener pastures. Homelessness due to mental illness is a tougher issue to handle. There are individuals who are a danger to themselves or to others and we need facilities for their treatment. To address other causes of homelessness, I propose that we partner with non-profit and faith-based organizations to help these individuals. If we work together, anything is possible.
If the County received $5 million dollars in funding to be used for any purpose, what would you do with it and why?
I would love to see tax relief for the citizens, but we have a need that must be addressed and that is in the justice system. Prosecuting attorneys and public defenders are an integral piece of our public safety. Mason County often loses these attorneys to neighboring counties after significant training cost, thereby subsidizing our neighbors to our own detriment. We must be more competitive in order to attract and keep attorneys if we are to maintain a constitutional justice system. It is our duty to provide a fully functional public safety system for our citizens.
Candidate statements are published as they are as submitted to our office. We do not make corrections of any kind or verify statements for truth or fact.