The Aug. 4 primary election is less than two weeks away and if you haven’t voted, it’s time to dust off that ballot and check a few boxes. For those who are still unsure about who deserves your trust, we have a few suggestions.
In the race for Langley mayor Sharon Emerson and Tim Callison should move ahead to the November general election. Their demonstrated leadership skills, combined with their professional and life experience make them the top two candidates for the job.
This was not an easy choice. Thomas Gill, a city councilman and former planning advisory board chairman, has shown himself to be a valuable and committed public servant. Clearly he has the most experience at City Hall, but we believe there’s more to being mayor, i.e. the city’s chief executive/manager/visionary/effectual/ambassador to the world than government know-how.
In Callison’s case, he’s a former CEO at an international company with experience managing big staffs and big budgets. In that role he was also responsible for overseeing transitions with new acquisitions, which lends confidence that he could step into the job seamlessly. We have some reservations about endorsing a candidate who’s so new to Langley (three years is about five minutes by island standards) but Callison’s got some good ideas, knows how to get things done and has the panache and polish to pull it off.
As for Emerson, she’s also enjoyed commercial success, though on a local scale. With a business partner, she spent 30 years building a nursing service that now employs about 100 people. That’s not bad for South Whidbey. We do have concerns about how she’ll get along with the city council, particularly when she doesn’t get her way, but Emerson has certainly shown she’s willing to fight passionately for what she believes in. A strong voice advocating for Langley, one with roots to the community that go back 44 years, is worthy of further consideration.
In the race for hospital commissioner, Georgia Gardner and Rob Born are clear choices to move on to the general election.
Gardner is no stranger to politics. The incumbent, she’s also a former Blaine city councilwoman and state lawmaker. She has strong ties to Whidbey Island, and as a CPA she brings a distinct and valuable voice to the board. She’s against selling the hospital or affiliating it, and is accessible to the people she serves.
Born is also intimately familiar with the hospital, being its chief critic for years. His in-your-face methods have rubbed many the wrong way, and we share concerns about his ability to play well with others, but a stark advocate for transparency and positive change where needed is something we believe the board sorely needs.
Rita Drum, who is also seeking the seat, is new to Whidbey and we applaud her desire to serve. However, we believe the other candidates’ familiarity with the complex issues surrounding the hospital make them the stronger candidates.
