Position No. 1
Jane Meyer Brahm
Occupation: Retired journalist; author
Community involvement: City Council for five years, active in PTAS from MIPA to MIHS, founder of the Mercer Island Sister City Association, on board of Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce, organizer of Art Uncorked, author of “Mercer Island History: From Haunted Wilderness to Coveted Community,” member of the Mercer Island Historical Society.
Why running? I love this community and want to use my experience, knowledge, leadership and commitment to preserve and improve the qualities of the Island we all love: the small-town feel, hundreds of acres of parks and open space, excellent schools, sense of safety, feeling of community and the quality of life we enjoy.
Biggest issues? Many of the issues we face are interrelated and result from the pressures of growth that the entire region is experiencing, but key issues are transportation (light rail with its challenges: the bus intercept proposal, parking, closure of the center roadway, loss of mobility), Town Center and the city budget.
Goals? I did not come onto the council with a narrow agenda or to address a specific issue facing the city. I will work on the broad range of issues our city faces, for all our citizens, young and old alike. My goal is a well-run city that effectively and efficiently provides the services its citizens need and want.
Dave Wisenteiner
Occupation: Director of Business and Competitive Strategy at Microsoft
Community involvement: Captain of the Microsoft Charitable Cycling team, MI Boys & Girls Club assistant basketball coach, team captain of the Children’s Hospital of Colorado Fundraising Cycling Team, Cubmaster/Den Leader for Boy Scouts of America
Why running? We need someone who can navigate the complex budgeting and regional negotiations and who is experienced with business transactions and sophisticated financial issues. We need fiscal responsibility. Moreover, we need someone who will fight for the Island.
Biggest issues? Carefully planned growth; low crime and personable, small town service; the state’s best schools; transparency in government and fiscal responsibility.
Goals? To prioritize schools, fire, police, social services and infrastructure, and to grow thoughtfully and keep Mercer Island authentic. I am worried about the direction the incumbent council is taking our little island and the only way to speak out is to step in. The island is at a decision point where it can lose that authenticity and suffer from some of the same problems that so many Seattle neighborhoods have seen.
Position No. 3
Wendy Weiker
Occupation: Community Services Manager for Puget Sound Energy
Community involvement: PTA volunteer at three MISD schools over the last 10 years (now at MIHS exclusively), MIHS PTSA legislative advocacy co-chair, Band Booster fundraising/PR committee, Mercer Island Utility Board member, Town Center Visioning/Stakeholder Group, EarthShare Washington board
Why running? I care about this community and know I have the skill set to be effective as we work together to navigate the challenges and opportunities before us.
Biggest issues? The decisions community leaders make in the next few years around public safety, land planning and transportation on our island and relative to our place in these regional systems will have significant impacts on Islanders for decades to come. All of the issues our community are facing really are about three things: taking care of this island, taking care of each other and taking care of our place in the region.
Goals? I hope to improve community engagement, enhance customer service and expand advisory board responsibilities. My priority as a councilmember will be to deliver essential community services in a cost effective way while thoughtfully planning for our Island’s future.
Salim Nice
Occupation: Senior Vice President & Chief Technical Officer of CTMI
Community involvement: Observing and serving this island from my earliest days, starting with a paper route on the north end, through years of I-90 construction and disruption, to working at Marty Ulrich’s Texaco station (now Chevron) during high school and college, to most recently serving on the Mercer Island “Stakeholder Group.”
Why running? Mercer Island is currently facing unprecedented regional growth and financial pressure. The direction we are heading threatens to fundamentally and permanently adversely alter the character of our Island. Our Island needs council members who will advocate first and foremost for the Mercer Island community.
Biggest issues? Managing GMA, “density,” and excessive height zoning, assuring HOV/SOV access, addressing traffic congestion, inappropriate pressure to accept “transit oriented density” and ill-advised bus-rail transfers, inadequate parking, fiscal responsibility, keeping parks and open space and emergency preparedness.
Goals? Effective, thoughtful, competent, articulate, fact and data-driven representation and leadership, for Islander focused needs and interests … supporting advisory votes, with increased openness and transparency [and] in compliance with both the letter and spirit of the law.
Position No. 4 – uncontested
Jeff Sanderson
Occupation: Sanderson Ventures (alternative investing), Stopsky’s Pickles & Preserves
Community involvement: Owner and Kibbitzer-in-chief, Stopsky’s Delicatessen
Why running? During the course of running Stopsky’s, I met many Islander who shared their hopes, dreams and aspirations for the Island. Everyone wants a vibrant and walkable Town Center, a Town Center we can be proud of. My background as businessman (small and large), teacher and philanthropist gives me a unique perspective to bring to the Council.
Biggest issues? Creating a vibrant and walkable Town Center, resolving our transportation plan for the next decade and beyond and ensuring we have a city budget to support the most important services and initiatives.
Goals? First, I want us to get the basics right: water, public safety, roads, schools. Second, contribute to creating the Town Center we want and deserve. I propose creating an Office of Economic Development to work with developers, property owners, small businesses and restaurants, and citizens to make progress in vitalizing the Town Center. Finally, we have an opportunity to look at everything we do as we enter the 2017-18 budget cycle.
*Sanderson’s opponent, Carl Silverberg, withdrew in May and endorsed Sanderson.
Position No. 5
Bruce Bassett
Occupation: Founder and former CEO of a small high tech business
Community involvement: Mayor for four years and on City Council for eight; city’s Arts Council, Design Commission, Parks and Recreation Subcommittee, Utility Board; co-founder of Mercer Island Green Ribbon Commission; Eastside Transportation Partners, Suburban Cities Association, King County Regional Transit Commission, WRIA8 Salmon Recovery Council, Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board.
Why running? We’ve accomplished a great deal in the past few years and the future vision is coming into focus, but there is much to be done to complete the process – a Town Center vision translated in to code, negotiation with Sound Transit and WSDOT around Light Rail and loss of mobility, solving our parking concerns and access to transit concerns.
Biggest issues? Town Center/growth, transportation (local and I-90, roads and transit, parking) and MICA. Beyond these hot button issues there are the more long term concerns, [including] the environment, budgeting and public safety.
Goals? Successfully complete Sound Transit/Metro/WSDOT negotiations and the Town Center visioning process and code revision with an outcome that garners solid community support and gives us a clear path forward.
Thomas Acker
Occupation: Senior HR Leader in Aerospace (Boeing -20 years)
Community involvement: City of Seattle/SPD Citizen of the Year for starting “Safer Streets for South Seattle,” President of Lakewood Seward Park Community Center and Mercer Isle Condominium Association, Vice-President of SE Seattle Crime Prevention Council.
Why running? Mercer Island can’t afford to operate like Mayberry any longer. We are squeezed between two of the largest cities in Washington and need to more appropriately work with regional players and advocate for local issues, [and] support responsible and planned growth.
Biggest issues? Local transportation and commuter transportation; density and development, updating building codes that protect the community; Sound Transit implementation and loss of mobility; protection of public spaces; allocation, field utilization and maintenance for the physical development of Island children; fiscal and financial planning issues related to the projected budget deficit; and educational funding.
Goals? Update building codes, collaborate with Sound Transit, prevent the lowering of service standards, implement a community scorecard to be shared with the public and secure the Park and Ride for local residents only.
Position No. 5
Debbie Bertlin
Occupation: Strategy and Operations at Microsoft
Community involvement: Council for four years, chair of Conservancy Trust, board of MIPA and Emmanuel Day School, member of Stanley Ann Dunham scholarship selection committee, served on seven City and regional committees including King County’s Growth Management Planning Council and the I-90 sub-committee.
Why running? We live on Mercer Island for the quality of life it provides – great schools, safe neighborhoods, parks and a sense of community. I pledge to preserve these values as the region around us grows. I am known as a person who “gets things done,” embraces diverse opinions, and delivers results to Islanders.
Biggest issues? Ensuring that we negotiate successfully with WSDOT, Sound Transit and Metro [on transportation issues], building a vibrant and economically viable Town Center designed for Islanders, by Islanders, continuing to partner deeply with our School District to ensure maximum resources go into the classroom and that our children are healthy mentally and physically.
Goals? I pledge to preserve the quality of life we enjoy. I will continue to serve with intelligence, integrity and inclusiveness, listening to and representing all Islanders, responding to opportunities and challenges through constructive debate, and ensuring Islanders have access to the information they need.
Traci Granbois
Occupation: Small business owner; attorney services
Community involvement:Town Center Stakeholder Group member, volunteer for MIPA and Farmers Market, University of Pennsylvania alumni interviewer, Wills for First Responders legal clinic.
Why running? The Mercer Island community and its well-being are the primary reasons for my decision to run for City Council.
Biggest issues? This election is about changing the manner in which the City Council balances regional demands with local Island interests. The two can be compatible, but regional level policies applied uniformly throughout is not in the Island’s or the region’s best interest. Transparency, or lack thereof, is clearly an issue the Council needs to address immediately, [as well as] fiscal responsibility. We need to prioritize spending accordingly and forecast for the future of Mercer Island.
Goals? A local government where we have nothing to hide – transparency in decision making and operation of all functions, a tighter budget with lower taxes to create a more affordable place to live – a place that is affordable for all, from young families starting out to older residents on fixed incomes, and a local government that listens to residents and has a pulse on what citizens actually want, because we have sought input in a meaningful manner.
A note on endorsements
Over the past few weeks, many of our readers have asked if the Reporter will be endorsing candidates for the Nov. 3 election. Endorsements that were made in July have not been withdrawn. However, for the races outside of those earlier endorsements, we have elected not to do so.
This past month, I have had the opportunity to both moderate and co-sponsor a number of city and county council level candidate forums here on the Eastside. Just last week, the Mercer Island Reporter was proud to co-host a candidate forum with the League of Women Voters at the SJCC.
While each of the candidates came from different backgrounds and certainly held different perspectives on many important Island issues, there is a common thread that unites them all – the desire to serve their community and to make it a better place to live, work and play. We at the Mercer Island Reporter certainly applaud that ethos.
Here at the Reporter, our ethos has been to better serve the Island by devoting greater time and effort toward getting to know each candidate and to educate our loyal readers about them. With your vote comes the individual responsibility of increased knowledge and information about the candidates and the issues they will face. We feel that with our mission to educate our readers about the candidates, we have a greater responsibility not to endorse, but to be a valued and impartial resource that will empower your vote with knowledge.
-William Shaw, Regional Publisher
