Commerce, housing questions posed to Langley mayoral candidates

Published 3:36 pm Tuesday, October 20, 2015

A 30-minute question-and-answer forum for Langley’s mayoral candidates last week wrapped the final public meeting in which Sharon Emerson and Tim Callison appeared together before the Nov. 3 election.

Hosted by the Langley Chamber of Commerce, questions covered what the city’s most pressing commercial issue is, how to drive business growth, life experience’s role in being mayor, developing a work force and creating affordable housing opportunities.

Both candidates demonstrated their knowledge of the city’s role and limits in commerce, as well as the mayor’s opportunities to foster a spirit of welcoming business into the city.

Alternating their prepared answers, Emerson answered the first question about businesses’ most pressing issues in Langley. Stating from her experience as co-founder of Island Home Nursing, she said businesses have to make enough profit to operate. Callison agreed and elaborated that “smoothing” business through the slower winter months with the dearth of tourist traffic is also paramount to economic success.

On the mayor’s ability to drive new business into Langley, Callison, answering first, said the city already has a high occupancy rate. Another possibility, he said, was a city-financed business incubation center where new shops can get a foothold before relocating.

“The city can’t create business or make it work,” Callison said. “What it can do is make it friendly for business.”

Emerson agreed, and added that The Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at the University of Washington had graduate students capable of looking into Langley’s commercial assets and needs. 

Nancy Rowan, the moderator and president of the Langley Chamber, asked the candidates what they could do to help fill what she called a shortage of available quality employees on South Whidbey.

Emerson, a longtime employer with 30-plus years running Island Home Nursing, said it is a problem of population, with just not enough “bodies.” A potential way to draw people to live in Langley was to recruit from large, technology-based companies in their newsletters.

Callison cited the county’s employment rate as being strong, and said working with the schools and businesses to improve skills would help solve the problem.

Affordable housing, as at previous forums, was a topic of interest for the crowd. Specifically, the candidates were asked how they, as mayor, could help facilitate low-cost places to live in Langley.

Streamlining requirements, Emerson said, adjusting zoning to increase density in certain areas in city limits, and ensuring low utilities bills would go a long way. She also highlighted city property on Coles Road as a possible site for affordable housing. Developing the properties on De Bruyn Avenue and Second/Third streets into affordable housing, she said, was a dream. Those lots are currently empty and hold the original Whidbey Telecom building, which is fenced off and on cinder blocks.

Having researched the available properties within the city, Callison said there is room to grow and land to be developed. He counted 105 properties.

“We certainly have enough lots,” he said.

Allowing for greater density in co-housing developments, he said, could help create lower-cost options and a dual life cycle as a starter home for young families and an age-in-place home.

The short forum for the two Langley mayoral candidates became tense after a question from Fred Lundahl, a First Street business owner, about a complaint Emerson filed against the Langley police department four years ago.

Emerson said she received a $25 ticket for illegally parking in a loading zone spot outside of the Good Cheer Thrift Store on Anthes Avenue while enjoying a night in town.

“It was 6 o’clock on a Saturday night, finding parking was hard,” she said.

Emerson filed a complaint with the city; it was ruled to be unfounded by then-police chief Randy Heston.

The question was widely frowned upon. Rowan apologized to Emerson at the forum for allowing it and Callison later sent an email to The Record saying the question made him “uncomfortable” and would not object if it were not included in this story.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Ballots were mailed out last week, and must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3 to be counted.