CHIMACUM — The contest for the District 3 Jefferson County Commissioner position has been remarkably cordial, the two candidates said.
The Nov. 4 general election race pits Democrat Kathleen Kler, 64, a retired nurse, against Dan Toepper, 54, a retired heavy-equipment operator with no party preference, to succeed Democrat John Austin, who is retiring after two terms.
“I want to thank Dan,” Kler said at a candidate forum at the Tri-Area Community Center on Thursday.
“It has been a real pleasure running with someone who faces the issues.”
Toepper told the 70 people at the forum: “Hopefully between the two of us, you have the options to get things done in this county.
“This is the way the process should work.”
The forum also included Jefferson County auditor candidates Rose Ann Carroll and Judy Maves-Klatt.
Public involvement
Both Kler,a Quilcene resident, and Toepper of Port Ludlow said they wished the public were more involved in governmental decision-making.
“The biggest obstacle in Jefferson County is apathy,” Kler said.
She said she didn’t know how officials can better share information about issues that affect residents’ lives, “but unless we work in a way to do this, we will not have a vibrant community where we know and trust each other and work together for whatever may come.”
Toepper also talked of communication and respect.
“This is a small county and a diverse county,” he said.
“The biggest challenge we face is getting people to understand there is more than one way of looking at things.”
Toepper said young people are disenchanted with politics.
“They see the partisan bickering and the name-calling and the mud-slinging and say, ‘Why would I get involved in something like that, and why would I put myself out there?’”
Kler said young people are concerned about the future and need to know that elected officials are, too.
“Young people want to know what we are doing about the climate and changes ahead of us,” she said.
“If we as older folk ignore those concerns and say it isn’t happening, we are dismissing them and their future.”
Jefferson Transit
Kler said she favors more public representation on the Jefferson Transit board, which now is composed of all three county commissioners, two Port Townsend City Council members and one non-voting member representing the interests of Amalgamated Transit Union 587.
“Without Transit, we lose a lot of access to health care and social lives,” Kler said.
“There is a proposal to expand the Transit board, and I support that.
“There should be wider representation for people who use Transit so they can have a voice about how it’s being used.”
Toepper said public transportation is essential in rural areas — and that local government should do its part to make it viable.
“We have 1,800 square miles with 30,000 people that is separated by another county and a mountain range,” he said, referring to east and west Jefferson County.
“In order for Transit to succeed in a county this size, we need to create more jobs, which will bring in the people who will become riders.
“That’s how you expand Transit: You need to have the people to justify the routes.”
Auditor’s race
Carroll and Maves-Klatt made their case to succeed Donna Eldridge, who is retiring as county auditor after five terms.
Both are running as Democrats.
Maves-Klatt, 52, is a former attorney and appraiser. She was endorsed by the county Democratic Party.
Carroll, 63, is the auditor’s accounting supervisor. Eldridge, a Republican, endorsed her.
“My legal background will be helpful in recording legal documents here in Jefferson County, and my small-business background will give me the background to handle the budgeting responsibilities of the office,” Maves-Klatt said.
Carroll addressed communication and planning issues.
“There is a need to improve the communication of the financial software between the Auditor’s Office and the Treasurer’s Office,” Carroll said.
“We also need to develop a disaster plan,” she added.
“During a disaster, the county government must continue to function.”
Carroll said she supports the work of the Voters Accessibility Advisory Committee “and takes all of its input into consideration.”
Maves-Klatt said: “We need to work together with that committee to make voting easier for people with disabilities.
“I’d like to propose an online ballot access system for people with disabilities and see that for those voters and those in the military.”
During the forum, Teri Nomura, former county Democratic Party chairwoman, questioned how Carroll had obtained Nomura’s home address for mailings, saying Carroll would have needed to file a public information request with the county Auditor’s Office to get it.
On Friday, Carroll provided documentation to the Peninsula Daily News that showed she had requested proper access.
The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and the weekly Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader.
It was moderated by Katherine Buchanan.
One hour was allocated for each set of candidates.
The commissioner candidates took the full hour, but the auditor segment ended after 20 minutes because there were no further questions for the candidates.
General election ballots will be mailed out to all county voters Oct. 15.
The 2014 Peninsula Daily News’ North Olympic Peninsula Voter Guide will be delivered to subscribers Oct. 17 and be available online at www.peninsuladailynews.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
