Here are the answers to the questionaire we send out last week to all candidate for Olympia City Council. In no particular order, we start with Position #4, the Open Seat. Karen Veldheer and Karen Rogers. We left the answers unedited and posted them without our remarks. We will digest everything and will comment after we’ve posted the anwers by all candidates.

+In your own words describe to our readers what the job description of a City Council member is.
VELDHEER: The job of a City council member is to represent the people of Olympia and manage the affairs of the city by oversight of the city manager and by making decisions relating to the city’s budget, land-use, utility services, public safety and all the city departments.

City council members need to get along well with others and listen patiently to citizens’ concerns. An effective city council member must go beyond just listening and setting policy; she/he also must be able to take action and get things done, and I have the temperament and orientation of an activist. Right now, the developer of the neighborhood where I live, Triway Enterprises is remedying deficiencies in soil structure and stormwater management in response to pressure from the community group I organized and led. This task took patience, persistence and organizational skill — essential and invaluable qualities for a City council member and what I hope to bring to the Olympia City council.

ROGERS: The job of a city councilmember is to fight for the best interests of our city and its people.

+ “Genie in the bottle” gives you one wish for Olympia – what would you like to see happening today?
ROGERS: As intriguing as the concept is, genies aren’t real, and we’re never going to have those kinds of instant solutions. Addressing the challenges facing Olympia will require a lot of hard work from our elected officials and the active involvement of our citizens.

VELDHEER: I’d like to see downtown built out perfectly with a beautiful public waterfront robust with social and business activity.

+ What is Olympia’s biggest and proudest achievement over the course of the last 5 years?
VELDHEER: Being named as Kiplinger’s number six city and the success of the Procession of the Species that helped win this distinction for our city is quite an accomplishment. And it must be noted that this is a regional achievement that should be celebrated by all our local jurisdictions. I see great value in taking a regional approach when looking to the future of Olympia. Olympia is not an island and it must seek to make plans and work cooperatively with its neighboring jurisdictions.

ROGERS: A lot of possibilities leap to mind—our award-winning transit system, the LOTT Alliance, the parks program, and the success of Camp Quixote. But what’s really stood out for me, as I’ve gone door to door for the past four months, is the way Olympia citizens have become so engaged in this election, and so determined to bring real change to city hall.

+ Downtown is by some described as a neighborhood and by others a destination shopping center. What do you see in downtown?
ROGERS: To have a truly vibrant downtown, we need a mixture of both. Mathias and I spoke of this several months ago, and we agreed that the historic city model of living where you work can’t be beat.

VELDHEER: I see downtown as both a shopping center and a neighborhood, but its potential is unrealized in both roles. In order for Olympia to be a true shopping destination, it needs more shops that are attractive to locals and visitors. My vision for downtown includes many multi-storey multi-use buildings: retail space at the street level, with office and residential space above. This is the type of development that will move Olympia’s downtown forward into the future.

+ “Downtown is the heart of Olympia” Do you agree with that statement and why? What’s the key to Olympia’s heart?
VELDHEER: I agree, downtown is the heart of the city and I would go as far to say it is the heart of the Thurston County region. It’s terrifically situated on the waterfront at the lower end of the Puget Sound; it’s easily accessible from I-5 and is the home of the Capitol campus and state offices. We need to empower and inspire building and business owners downtown to shape a future of Olympia’s downtown that will be hospitable to residents and visitors and economically vibrant — and one that honors our uniquely beautiful natural setting.

ROGERS: I think there is no single heart. The heart is in every single neighborhood in our city, including downtown, but not limited to downtown. The key to Olympia’s heart is its people.

+ Draw us a image with your own words of Olympia in 2059, fifty years from now (You can leave out the flying cars!;-) What do you see, where do you see us and yourself?
ROGERS: A look back at the science fiction from 50 years ago shows that people really have no idea of what’s coming down the line, so I wouldn’t even pretend to know what Olympia is going to look like in 2059. The important thing is for Olympia’s people and its elected leaders to adapt to the changing realities to build the best possible future for our city.

VELDHEER: In fifty years I see Olympia expanding beyond its current limits both growing vertically and horizontally. I see Olympia’s downtown comprised of mid-rise multi-use buildings and the Westside of Olympia more defined, as its own mini-metropolis. If all goes well and development is properly managed, Olympia’s downtown will be a thriving economic center for our entire region. I see a low level of traffic and parking problems because transportation needs will have been properly addressed and the downtown will be a thriving business and community-gathering place. It is my hope that Olympia will not be under water in 50 years, as this is something Olympia should monitor much like Tacoma and other waterfront cities in our region are doing. In fifty years I see myself right there in the middle of our wonderful city still being involved in the community encouraging future generations toward citizen involvement.

+ The City Council is part-time. What else will you be working on/doing in the coming year that you’re really looking forward to?
VELDHEER: While not working on council business I look forward to growing my own e-commerce business and being with my family. I really care for Olympia and I am willing to set aside my own personal ambition in order to run for office and serve the people of Olympia.

ROGERS: With the time-demands of campaigning gone, I look forward to attending more local school sporting events, more neighborhood barbeques, and catching more movies at the Capitol Theater.

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Thank you Karen Veldheer and Karen Rogers for taking the time to answer our question and for serving our community. If you have any more questions for the candidates, please visit their websites here.