Introducing School District Board incumbent McMurray and challenger Below

Edmonds School District incumbent Ann McMurray and challenger Mitchell Below recently sent statements introducing themselves to voters.

The two are running for one of the two School District 15 board positions on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The school district includes Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Woodway, nearby unincorporated areas of south Snohomish County and most of Brier.

The two candidates are running to represent Director District 2 in the southeast part of the school district, an area that includes Mountlake Terrace and Brier.

Candidates must live in the director district they want to represent, but voters from throughout the school district elect board members from all five director districts.

Here are McMurray’s and Below’s statements in the order that their names will appear on the November ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:

Edmonds SD 15 Director District 2

Ann McMurray

As current vice-president of the Edmonds School Board, I am honored to represent this community and contribute to the strength of public education. I have 27 years of active involvement in the public school system as a parent, community member and taxpayer, as well as being a member of the school board for the past 12 years. Through my experiences, I’ve become familiar with the complexities of school issues, from funding challenges to changing student and community demographics. My goals are to maintain the financial strength of the District, emphasize improvements that directly affect the classroom and provide opportunities for strategic professional development so diplomas become a springboard for engaged adulthood.

Mitchell Below

My wife and I live in Lynnwood with our son and twin daughters. I have served our community as a classroom volunteer, a Little League coach, and as an ambassador family for the March of Dimes. I believe that public education can change lives when it has good governance to ensure that the system works well for everyone.

I have been endorsed by the ESD teachers and bus drivers, State Rep. Derek Stanford, Equal Rights Washington, and the Democrats of Snohomish County and the 1^st, 21^st, and 32^nd Legislative Districts.

I humbly ask for your vote.

Introductory statements from an Alderwood water incumbent and challenger

Alderwood Water and Wastewater District incumbent Mike Dixon and challenger Chad Byers recently sent statements introducing themselves to voters.

The two are running for one of the two Alderwood positions on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. The district includes the cities of Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace, the east part of Edmonds, parts of Brier, Bothell, Mill Creek, Mukilteo and Everett, and unincorporated areas near those cities.

Here are Dixon’s and Byers’ statements in the order that their names will appear on the November ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:

Alderwood Water and Wastewater District, Commissioner Position #3

Michael (Mike) Dixon

My name is Mike Dixon and I have been your commissioner at Alderwood the past six years. I have over 20 years private sector experience, including 6 years in public finance investment banking and financial management. My business and financial management expertise is particularly valuable in developing sound policy and providing oversight to the largest special purpose district in the state. I invite you to review our online record of service delivery, water quality and prudent management. I ask for your vote in November to continue to help build, manage and maintain the utility we all want and deserve.

www.re-elect-mike.com/issues

Chad Byers

I believe we have a duty to protect our own backyards and ensure strong infrastructure to keep clean water flowing to our homes and to keep wastewater flowing to where it can safely be treated. Despite a crippled EPA, we must have the progress needed as our region’s population increases, without cutting corners. Like Flint, Michigan.

As a certified project management professional and business executive, I am familiar with the planning and understanding of capital and non-capital projects. As an Army Reservist I learned preventive medicine, water treatment and sanitation. As a long-time environmental activist, I consider long-term environmental effects. Elect me and let’s all drink to our health.

–By Evan Smith
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.