With the withdrawal of incumbent Roger Summy from the race for Position 3 on the Silver Lake Water District Board of Commissioners, at least one board member will be a woman after the Nov. 8 election.
Summy’s withdrawal in early August left Anne Backstrom and Alayna Martin, both of Everett, vying for the position. Both women are making their first bid for elected office.
Backstrom entered the race with a desire to volunteer her efforts in the community, and she has some background in water service, working full-time for the Olympic View Water District in Edmonds, a district she has worked at for five years.
“I have no gripes with the Silver Lake Water District,” she said. “I have no service gripes or any complaints about rates.”
Martin has a similar view. “I think the Silver Lake Water District is a very professional organization.”
Martin is a graduate of Western Washington University and a former Mukilteo police officer who is currently a stay-at-home mother of three children. She has been involved in various school activities with her children and said she is running to serve the community.
Backstrom believes the district has an adequate water supply, both to handle growth and in case of a natural disaster, thanks to its agreements with Everett and the Alderwood Water District to purchase water.
“I don’t see a problem with a water shortage,” she said.
Martin said the district’s service agreements, including with the city of Mill Creek, can be reviewed, but doubts that any changes would need to be made.
Backstrom also vows to keep an eye on rates.
“When I compare my water rates compared to those of where I work, (Silver Lake’s) rates are really low,” she said. “Because I am a customer first I want to look at keeping rates low.”
Martin, meanwhile, said her main priority is making sure the drinking water is safe and clean.
“I just want to make sure the district does everything in the public’s best interest,” Martin said.
Backstrom also wants to increase the district’s presence with the general public through communication. She’d like to see the district get a Web site, where things like billing questions and commissioner meeting agendas can be posted.
“We have a huge, growing district and it would be nice – if it’s affordable – to have a Web site with a breakdown of customer’s bills,” Backstrom said. “They don’t have to change it all the time. Just having basic information on there would be a good start.”
Martin believes the district’s impending move to new, larger offices will enable the district to keep up with residential and commercial growth in the area.
“Right now they can’t take on new employees because of the size of their current building,” Martin said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
