The incumbent enjoys playing pinochle with friends and claims to have a science-fiction library of more than 1,500 titles. The challenger prefers playing basketball and has a mineralogy lab in his home.
These tidbits probably won’t appear on the two deep resumes of the men competing for Snohomish County Council’s 4th District seat, but they do speak to their range of interests.
Democrat Dave Gossett, running for a third consecutive term, has earned a reputation for a solid work ethic.
Republican Bob Meador, a retired Lynnwood fire chief, believes that somebody needs to hold the incumbent’s feet to the fire and ask tough questions.
“I have a lot of life experience that Dave doesn’t have, and he can say the same thing about me,” Meador said.
Primary elections are required if more than two candidates file for the same position or if it is partisan office. Since this is a partisan race, both candidates automatically advance from the Aug. 18 primary to the Nov. 3 general election.
The 4th District, one of three county council seats being contested this year, includes Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Lynnwood, Mill Creek and parts of Bothell. The job pays $102,779.
Gossett has a long career in local government. He worked as an analyst for the county council and served as a Mountlake Terrace city councilman and mayor. He was first elected to the county council in 2001.
He’s proud of his work on rules for new urban housing developments, requiring more trees and stricter guidelines on home exteriors. A member of Community Transit and other regional boards, he highlights his support for public transportation and road improvements. Managing a tight county budget would be a priority in his next term.
“I’ve really enjoyed representing people for the last few years and trying to help improve their quality of life,” he said.
Meador’s resume is a bit more eclectic.
His first career was owning a auto-repair shop, where he said he gained skills in small business. He joined the fire service in 1972 and served as Lynnwood’s fire chief from 1992 to 2002. Since then, he has run successfully for commissioner spots at Stevens Hospital and Snohomish County Fire District 1.
“Even though I’m new to party politics, I’m not new to the community,” he said.
Learn more about Gossett at www.davegossett.com or Meador at www.bobmeador.com.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465 or nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Name: Dave Gossett
Age: 58
Occupation: Snohomish County councilman, past Mountlake Terrace councilman and mayor, legislative analyst for the Snohomish County Council
Hometown: Mountlake Terrace
Party: Democrat
Name: Bob Meador
Age: 66
Occupation: Retired Lynnwood fire chief, current commissioner for Snohomish County Fire District 1 and Stevens Hospital, former owner of an auto repair shop
Hometown: Mill Creek
Party: Republican
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