Edmonds City Council, Position 2
Published 2:44 pm Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Diane Buckshnis
Age: 53
Martial status: Married
Residence: Edmonds
Education: Portland State University: BS in Business Administration with Finance Minor. Portland State University: BS in Psychology.
Occupation: Retired 2005: Banker, Banking Regulator, and Technical Writer.
Political Experience: After the break-up of the Soviet Union, I worked in Lithuania with American and European consortiums and effectively assisted in rebuilding its regulatory and banking system. I also was a federal bank regulator involved in investigating and cleaning up the Savings and Loan (Keating) debacle. Also I have political involvements in the following: Sierra Club – Cascade Chapter, League of Women Voters, National Women’s Political Caucus, Edmond’s Levy Committee.
Question 1: How do you see straddling the line between economic sustainability and environmental sustainability in Edmonds?
Low Impact Development (LID) can be cost effective and functional in the appropriate areas. One goal of LID is to minimize storm water run-off and improve water quality and this is often accomplished with green roofs, porous surfaces instead of hard pan, tree preservation, and rain gardens. LID integrates cost effective storm water management measures into urban site features, which I support.
“Future” generations need our guidance and we must lead by example, proactively reducing our carbon footprint and protecting Puget Sound. Our local government should provide incentives to raise awareness and encourage sustainable practices including energy efficiency.
Question 2: How will you address ethics, accountability and transparency in city government?
This is a key element of my platform. I support reversing the Title 20 changes that reduced public accessibility to the City Council regarding land use issues.
I will also focus on fiscal policies that ensure citizens know where their money is being spent and that it is being spent wisely.
Lastly, we need to bring RESPECT and CIVILITY back into city government. Every citizen has a right to be heard and be treated with respect. And the extent of public hearings AFTER all information is available should be directly related to the complexity of the issue being considered.
Question 3: How do you envision managing the city’s budget deficit?
This is another key element of my platform and as a former banker and banking regulator, I am uniquely qualified. The city budget, income and expense statements need to be scrutinized to determine how money is being spent. The council sets the budget, but the administration spends the money. Council needs to provide oversight, especially regarding longstanding costly projects, to ensure that they make sense and are worth the money.
Most importantly, we need to stop relying on costly consultants, developers and attorneys to tell us what THEY want and instead listen to what the community wants and act accordingly.
Question 4: What should the city do about development in the waterfront area?
Land-use decisions are some of the most important Councilmember responsibilities. During my travels throughout the United States and Europe, I’ve appreciated many vibrant and prosperous waterfront towns without tall buildings. In fact, those types of structures detract from a city’s charm and welcoming atmosphere that suits our geography and heritage.
As a volunteer who has ingratiated myself in our community for many years, I’ve heard our community’s “voice” and believe we need to promote our town and downtown amenities (e.g., arts, waterfront, boutique shops, open environment, public views) to create a consistent image respecting our heritage and traditions.
Strom Peterson
Age: 41
Marital/family status: Married to Maria Montalvo
Residence: Edmonds
Education: BA English University of New Mexico
Occupation: Business Owner/Cheesemonger
Political Experience: Currently on Edmonds City Council, Position 2
Question 1: How do you see straddling the line between economic sustainability and environmental sustainability in Edmonds?
Economic and environmental sustainability are mutually beneficial and possible. My main priority as a Councilman, other than public safety, is sustainable economic development. Bringing new small businesses to Edmonds will keep more money in our local economy. Also, locally owned businesses hire local people, pay better wages and commit more to local charities. As a member of the council’s Economic Development Committee, I work to attract and retain quality businesses. We can promote environmental policies that make Edmonds a beautiful and healthy place to live, including protecting open space, cleanup of Puget Sound and educating citizens on environmental issues.
Question 2: How will you address ethics, accountability and transparency in city government?
As an elected official and representative of Edmonds, all members of the council must conduct themselves to a high level of ethical standards. In addition, the city must strive to maintain the open and transparent communication to all citizens. The city recently completed an audit by the state and the financial structure and transparency received high marks for accuracy, openness and transparency. The public is part of the political process and able to review any and all elements of city operations. More importantly, citizens should be confident that they are represented honestly and effectively by the council.
Question 3: How do you envision managing the city’s budget deficit?
The city is not currently in a budget deficit. However, the city needs to engage in long-term fiscal and programmatic planning to ensure that it remains strong and vibrant for decades to come. The city needs to work to diversify its business portfolio in order to better weather economic downturns like we are facing today. Economic development must be based on more than tourism and should concentrate on job creation. Without good jobs we will not have a strong local economy. Without a strong economy, we will continue to have revenue shortfalls that threaten our quality of life.
Question 4: What should the city do about development in the waterfront area?
The citizens of Edmonds want to maintain our town’s character and ensure that the city we live in today can be enjoyed by our children and grandchildren. The city must work diligently to monitor any plans for the waterfront and make sure that they meet city code and fulfill the wants and needs of our community. We have an opportunity to create open space, environmentally sustainable buildings and a community asset. We must all work together to achieve these goals. We, as a community, must move away from divisive arguments from the past and work together to create something special.
