Published: Sunday, August 2, 2009
Snohomish County Council, District 5: Four square off in county’s toughest contest
It’s known as the toughest political contest in Snohomish County. And true to tradition, the race for the county council’s eastern 5th District is shaping up to be busy.
Democratic incumbent Dave Somers faces three Republican opponents in the Aug. 18 primary: Lake Stevens Mayor Vern Little, past Snohomish Mayor and City Councilman Steve Dana and Maltby activist Greg Stephens.
The top two advance to the Nov. 3 ballot under Washington state election rules.
Somers has well-established environmental credentials. So it may come as a surprise that he earned the endorsement of the Master Builders Association for King and Snohomish Counties.
“I’ve gotten both environmental and business endorsements, which I’m proud of,” Somers said. “So I’m obviously doing something right.”
The district is home to the Evergreen State Fairgrounds and dangerous stretches of U.S. 2. When the economy picks up, it will feel some of the strongest development pressures in the region. There are unresolved annexation conflicts between the cities of Snohomish and Lake Stevens. All four candidates said they oppose mini-cities in rural areas, such as one proposed near Lake Roesiger.
A fisheries biologist by training, Somers began his career in Snohomish County in the mid-1970s. Since then, a sampling of his resume includes work for the Tulalip Tribes and managing the nonprofit Pacific Watershed Institute.
He lives on rural land outside Monroe and drives to work in a biodiesel-powered Volkswagen hatchback. For fun, he makes wine and rides a Russian-made Ural motorcycle with a sidecar.
His priorities for the next term would include improving the fairgrounds, preserving farmland and managing a tight budget.
He said he hasn’t trumpeted his achievements, because “I’m not a big self-promoter.”
“I beat myself up a lot,” he said, “but I’m proud of what I’ve done here.”
In seeking re-election, Somers is trying to buck a trend.
No candidate has won consecutive four-year terms in the district since the county changed from a commission to a council in 1980, county elections manager Garth Fell said. Somers won in 1997, but lost to Republican Jeff Sax in 2001. He beat Sax in 2005.
The Snohomish County Republican Party won’t make an endorsement until after the primary, Chairman James Kellett said.
Steve Dana has run The Hub restaurant in Snohomish for 24 years. Before that, his parents ran it for 25 years.
“When you own a restaurant, your hobby is your restaurant,” he said.
His public career began in 1987 with an appointment to the Snohomish County Board of Adjustment, since replaced by the hearing examiner. He won Snohomish City Council elections in 1989 and in 1993. His peers on the council elected him mayor three times.
He criticizes Somers for not doing enough.
“Dave’s lack of activity is his biggest failing,” he said. “Other than opposing things, his accomplishments have been so limited.”
Dana doesn’t like the way the county has managed growth in unincorporated areas, leaving cities to deal with the consequences when they annex them.
Vern Little was a Lake Stevens city councilman before being appointed mayor in 2006 and winning the 2007 election. He has worked for 32 years at the Boeing Co., where he supervises the 767 project. Outside of work, he has coached youth sports, loves golfing and bowls competitively.
If elected, he plans to step down from the mayoral post and retire from Boeing.
“I think I’ve done a really good job at representing the citizens of Lake Stevens because that was my job,” he said. “I know that my job would change as a county representative.”
Like Dana, Little believes the county has hindered cities from growing the way they should. He sees the county government as top-heavy, with too many administrators and too few front-line workers for issues such as building permits. He wants fewer land-use rules and safer highways.
Greg Stephens works as a hotel security officer and previously drove an ambulance for 30 years. He doesn’t have any experience as an elected official. He says that’s partly because he’s volunteered so much time championing the unincorporated Maltby area.
Where he lives has been the source of controversy.
Stephens has been staying in Bothell, in King County, but claims a permanent residence at his house on Highway 9 in Snohomish County. He said he hasn’t been able to stay there because of a prolonged dispute over county permits required for repairs.
The same issue surfaced after the 2005 council election when Stephens ran as an independent. An investigation found that he committed no crime, prosecutors said.
Stephens considers himself a Republican in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt: an outdoorsman and conservationist.
He believes the county is too beholden to one industry — housing — because it is hungry for permit revenue.
“I think you should build the roads and set aside land for schools and parks before you build a single house,” he said.
The 5th council district covers Lake Stevens, the city of Snohomish, Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar and Index. The job pays $102,779.
Learn more about Somers at www.davesomers.org; Dana at www.stevedana.us or www.nolossforwords.wordpress.com; and Little at www.vernlittle.com.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465 or nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Name: Steve Dana
Age: 59
Occupation: Owns The Hub restaurant, Snohomish; past Snohomish city councilman and mayor
Hometown: Snohomish
Party: Republican
Name: Vern Little
Age: 55
Occupation: Lake Stevens mayor, senior quality manager for the Boeing Co.
Hometown: Lake Stevens
Party: Republican
Name: Dave Somers
Age: 56
Occupation: Snohomish County Councilman, fisheries biologist
Hometown: Monroe
Party: Democrat
Name: Greg Stephens
Age: 60
Occupation: hotel security officer, former ambulance driver
Hometown: Maltby
Party: Republican
Democratic incumbent Dave Somers faces three Republican opponents in the Aug. 18 primary: Lake Stevens Mayor Vern Little, past Snohomish Mayor and City Councilman Steve Dana and Maltby activist Greg Stephens.
The top two advance to the Nov. 3 ballot under Washington state election rules.
Somers has well-established environmental credentials. So it may come as a surprise that he earned the endorsement of the Master Builders Association for King and Snohomish Counties.
“I’ve gotten both environmental and business endorsements, which I’m proud of,” Somers said. “So I’m obviously doing something right.”
The district is home to the Evergreen State Fairgrounds and dangerous stretches of U.S. 2. When the economy picks up, it will feel some of the strongest development pressures in the region. There are unresolved annexation conflicts between the cities of Snohomish and Lake Stevens. All four candidates said they oppose mini-cities in rural areas, such as one proposed near Lake Roesiger.
A fisheries biologist by training, Somers began his career in Snohomish County in the mid-1970s. Since then, a sampling of his resume includes work for the Tulalip Tribes and managing the nonprofit Pacific Watershed Institute.
He lives on rural land outside Monroe and drives to work in a biodiesel-powered Volkswagen hatchback. For fun, he makes wine and rides a Russian-made Ural motorcycle with a sidecar.
His priorities for the next term would include improving the fairgrounds, preserving farmland and managing a tight budget.
He said he hasn’t trumpeted his achievements, because “I’m not a big self-promoter.”
“I beat myself up a lot,” he said, “but I’m proud of what I’ve done here.”
In seeking re-election, Somers is trying to buck a trend.
No candidate has won consecutive four-year terms in the district since the county changed from a commission to a council in 1980, county elections manager Garth Fell said. Somers won in 1997, but lost to Republican Jeff Sax in 2001. He beat Sax in 2005.
The Snohomish County Republican Party won’t make an endorsement until after the primary, Chairman James Kellett said.
Steve Dana has run The Hub restaurant in Snohomish for 24 years. Before that, his parents ran it for 25 years.
“When you own a restaurant, your hobby is your restaurant,” he said.
His public career began in 1987 with an appointment to the Snohomish County Board of Adjustment, since replaced by the hearing examiner. He won Snohomish City Council elections in 1989 and in 1993. His peers on the council elected him mayor three times.
He criticizes Somers for not doing enough.
“Dave’s lack of activity is his biggest failing,” he said. “Other than opposing things, his accomplishments have been so limited.”
Dana doesn’t like the way the county has managed growth in unincorporated areas, leaving cities to deal with the consequences when they annex them.
Vern Little was a Lake Stevens city councilman before being appointed mayor in 2006 and winning the 2007 election. He has worked for 32 years at the Boeing Co., where he supervises the 767 project. Outside of work, he has coached youth sports, loves golfing and bowls competitively.
If elected, he plans to step down from the mayoral post and retire from Boeing.
“I think I’ve done a really good job at representing the citizens of Lake Stevens because that was my job,” he said. “I know that my job would change as a county representative.”
Like Dana, Little believes the county has hindered cities from growing the way they should. He sees the county government as top-heavy, with too many administrators and too few front-line workers for issues such as building permits. He wants fewer land-use rules and safer highways.
Greg Stephens works as a hotel security officer and previously drove an ambulance for 30 years. He doesn’t have any experience as an elected official. He says that’s partly because he’s volunteered so much time championing the unincorporated Maltby area.
Where he lives has been the source of controversy.
Stephens has been staying in Bothell, in King County, but claims a permanent residence at his house on Highway 9 in Snohomish County. He said he hasn’t been able to stay there because of a prolonged dispute over county permits required for repairs.
The same issue surfaced after the 2005 council election when Stephens ran as an independent. An investigation found that he committed no crime, prosecutors said.
Stephens considers himself a Republican in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt: an outdoorsman and conservationist.
He believes the county is too beholden to one industry — housing — because it is hungry for permit revenue.
“I think you should build the roads and set aside land for schools and parks before you build a single house,” he said.
The 5th council district covers Lake Stevens, the city of Snohomish, Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar and Index. The job pays $102,779.
Learn more about Somers at www.davesomers.org; Dana at www.stevedana.us or www.nolossforwords.wordpress.com; and Little at www.vernlittle.com.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465 or nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Name: Steve Dana
Age: 59
Occupation: Owns The Hub restaurant, Snohomish; past Snohomish city councilman and mayor
Hometown: Snohomish
Party: Republican
Name: Vern Little
Age: 55
Occupation: Lake Stevens mayor, senior quality manager for the Boeing Co.
Hometown: Lake Stevens
Party: Republican
Name: Dave Somers
Age: 56
Occupation: Snohomish County Councilman, fisheries biologist
Hometown: Monroe
Party: Democrat
Name: Greg Stephens
Age: 60
Occupation: hotel security officer, former ambulance driver
Hometown: Maltby
Party: Republican
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