Island County voters will have a choice between a former newspaper editor and a retired Navy commander for District 3 commissioner.

Republican incumbent Bill Byrd, 71, retired from the Navy and worked overseas in Saudi Arabia before moving to Oak Harbor. Byrd said he needs another term to finish the work he started when he was elected four years ago.

John Dean, 57, of Camano Island quit his job as a newspaper editor to run for office.

Dean says he represents many people in Island County who don’t feel they have a voice in county government.

District 3 includes Camano Island and North Whidbey Island.

Bill Byrd

Incumbent county commissioner Byrd, 71, feels his first term in office has been a success. But there is still plenty of work to be done.

“Continuity is important,” Byrd said.

Byrd originally ran on four separate issues: traffic safety, local economy, safety and security in homes, and the budget.

“Four years ago I campaigned to improve local economy and improve traffic safety and transportation. We’ve done a pretty good job,” Byrd said.

For example, Byrd said entrance and exit lanes have been added to Highway 525, Highway 20, and Highway 522.

Byrd also cited improvements in public transportation from Island County.

“Bus riders can access Mount Vernon with connections to Skagit, Whatcom and Snohomish counties,” Byrd said.

Byrd said security also improved on his watch. He said the county has added deputies and taken advantage of Homeland Security grants.

“The grants have helped to improve communication between the different emergencies services. They now can talk on the same frequencies,” he said.

Finally Byrd said budgetary control has been maintained, and reserves have been set aside for emergencies.

“We have not added new taxes, and worked to keep the county’s part of property taxes low,” he said. “We’ve been tight fisted and built a reserve.”

Byrd said he has also supervised the critical area updates that were required under the state’s Growth Management Act, the law designed to protect farms and forest from urban development.

Byrd has also seen his share of controversy during his first term, including recent years where the issue of hunting divided the community.

Byrd said he supports hunting on public lands.

“But I feel there have to be some compromises on both sides,” he added.

Commissioners have considered proposing a hunting ban on certain county-owned properties two times, but each time the ban has been rejected by commissioners.

“It’s a very ticklish issue, depending on who you talk to,” Byrd said.

“My issue is that I think that people should hunt. But how do you do that and at the same time ensure people’s safety? I think there’s a need for separation somehow.”

Byrd is chairman of the technology committee and said the county has made great strides in technology.

“As chairman of the technology committee I have done an assessment of the county’s technology. We have sent out requests for proposals for a consultant to review the assessor’s system and an RFP for a permit tracking system,” Byrd noted.

The Conservation Futures Fund has been a source of controversy, too.

Byrd recently proposed dividing the areas by school districts, but the proposal was set aside until modifications could be made and presented to the public.

Byrd and the commissioners recently voted to contribute $187,000 from the Conservation Futures Fund to help purchase the Wilbert Trail property in South Whidbey State Park.

To ease transportation issues, Byrd supports building a second bridge off Whidbey Island from Strawberry Point to Fir Island. He also wants a bridge and passenger-only ferry from Camano Island to Whidbey Island.

Byrd and his wife Shirley live in Oak Harbor. The oldest of eight children, he grew up on a farm near Bakersfield, Calif.

“My parents were a product of the Great Depression and moved from the Midwest to California early in my life. Farm life taught me a sense of responsibility, a good work ethic, and a willingness to learn and serve my community,” he said.

During his career as a commissioner, Byrd completed a certified public official course, served on the county Board of Health and as the secretary for Island Transit. He was also chairman for Northwest Regional Council, vice president of the Washington State Association of Counties Western District in 2005, and still serves on the WSAC board of directors.

After retiring from the Navy as a commander, Byrd worked for the Raytheon Company in program management and contract administration.

After leaving Raytheon, he worked overseas as the general manager for the Royal Saudi Navy Ship Repair Facility in Jubail, Saudi Arabia for 10 years.

After leaving Saudi Arabia, Byrd moved to rural Island County.

“After a brief retirement, I ran, and was elected to the public office as commissioner. It has been my great pleasure and high honor to serve,” he said.

John Dean

Dean has put down his reporter’s notebook to campaign for District 3 Island County Commissioner.

Dean says it’s time for him to step out and become part of the public process, rather than reporting on it.

As an editor, Dean said he listened to people and heard their concerns.

“I want to become part of the process,” he said.

Dean, 57, had a 25-year community journalism career with the Stanwood/Camano NEWS, where he was editor and associate publisher until announcing his candidacy. He is now the page designer for the paper.

A resident of Camano Island, Dean said he believes there are a number of people in Island County who feel under represented in county government.

“I will be speaking not only for Camano Island residents, but for others in the county who don’t believe their voices are heard,” Dean said.

Dean said he hopes to bring people together.

“We all can work together and feel good about it,” he said. “Democrats and Republicans share some of the same concerns,” he said.

“We have a diverse population to serve: families, retirees on fixed incomes, small business owners, cottage industries, hobby farmers, the U.S. Navy, forest dwellers, construction companies, and Realtors. Such a complex mix invites county officials and island residents to leave entrenched positions to collaborate creative,” he said.

In public speeches, Dean has said there are morale issues among county personnel.

“The courthouse, elected officials, department heads, and staff need leaders they can respect, and a positive culture of professional pride and teamwork,” he said.

Dean has said there is poor morale in the Island County Sheriff’s Office and a lack of customer service in the planning department.

As for the Growth Management Act, he says while it was passed to control urban sprawl, and is a compromise between people who profit from growth and people who don’t.

“It is not intended to limit growth. It is intended to apply controls to growth through adherence to its 13 basic goals,” he said,

“County government must listen to all sides and seek acceptable compromises that are good for the long term without urban gridlock,” he said.

To meet future budget demands at the county, Dean said he will launch a “citizen priorities project” so islanders can specify the services they want county government to concentrate on.

“I propose the top three are public safety, public health and community planning,” he said.

“I would like to see the county undertake multi-year financial planning to provide greater confidence, foresight and stability in our budgeting process,” Dean added.

Dean said he will also promote better bus service, more bike and walking paths for commuting, and encourage working at home.

He does not support a second bridge from Whidbey Island.

Dean wants to promote new business in Island County, as well.

“I will push for high-speed Internet countywide and call for an annual summit of island chambers of commerce, the Island County Economic Development Council, and our best business minds,” he said.

Dean and Julie, his wife of 16 years, live on south Camano. They have two adult children.

Dean served as a former trustee and president of the Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation, and was former manager and master of ceremonies for the Stanwood-Camano Community Fair. He was also a board member of the Stanwood Senior Center and has helped to initiate several Stanwood-Camano groups and projects. He has earned numerous awards from the community, and was named Stanwood-Camano’s 1986 Man of the Year.

He is also the co-author of “Camano Island: Life and Times in Island Paradise.”

Gayle Saran can be reached at 221-5300 or gsaran@southwhidbeyrecord.com.