The importance of this year’s LFP City Council elections!

The importance of this year’s LFP City Council elections!

I am writing to share a bit of information about our upcoming election for LFP City Council. First, I am a 43-year resident of Lake Forest Park. LFP is a truly remarkable community as I am sure you agree. We’ve raised our family here since 1977. During that time I have served on several volunteer commissions of this city, including the Environmental Quality Commission and the Planning Commission. In 2005 I was elected to our seven-member city council and served for two terms ending in December of 2013. Since then, I have remained active in issues affecting Lake Forest Park - including always looking for and to be aware of citizens who have made contributions to LFP and are potential candidates for the Council.

The elections for LFP City Council this fall are unusual for our town in that there are three open seats (and a fourth seat being filled by an unchallenged incumbent). Two years from now the other three council seats will be up for reelection and perhaps, become open seats. The importance of all this is that the candidates who are successful in this year’s election will have a significant impact in determining the future of this city.

My experience over the last several years working with numerous city council members, mayors and commissioners, is that those who have served on the various city volunteer commissions, especially the Planning Commission, are often well-prepared to move into the position of being a city council member. They have a better understanding of all the issues facing this city and how the legislative process works.

Washington State mandates that cities have a volunteer Planning Commission appointed by the mayor and made up of a group of LFP residents. The role of a Planning Commission is to act as an advisory group to the municipal governing body, our City Council, on issues and policies related to planning, land use regulation, and community development. To be successful, commissioners learn to reach out to the public for their thoughts and concerns for the formation of policy recommendations to the City Council. Commissioners, also, learn to work collaboratively to reach consensus for their recommendations. These experiences help cultivate essential skills that help a person become a successful councilmember.

Of the 6 candidates running for the three empty seats this year, two have provided years of volunteer service to our community including being members of the Planning Commission – and both have served successfully, as well as, leading this commission as it’s chair.

Those candidates are Maddy Larson and Jon Lebo. Without hesitation I have endorsed Maddy and Jon and it is my pleasure to provide this recommendation of them to you. You will find more detailed information about each of them on their websites:

Maddy4lfp.com and Lebo4lfp.com

Also, note that voters’ pamphlets and mail-in ballots should be in your mailbox the week of October 11th. Ballots are postage paid for returning or they can be dropped off at the City Hall ballot drop box. Ballots should be returned by Tuesday, November 2nd.

I hope you will join me in electing both Maddy Larson and Jon Lebo to our LFP City Council. Their experiences and skills will provide you with exemplary leaders on our City Council.

Best

Don Fiene

Former City Member 2005-2013