Editor,

I met Marie several years ago when she first took the job of Reserve Manager at Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. Her arrival on the scene was a breath of fresh air — perhaps gust better described it. She had an open-mind, radiated an energy that hadn’t been associated with the trust board for years, and set out to meet and listen to people, to hear out the residents, partners of the Reserve, government agencies, tourism folks, NGOs and former associates of the Reserve like myself.

She is a quick study and did her listening sessions in a methodical manner. She exuded a vitality while maintaining a calmness of understanding as she listened to everyone tell her what was going well and what needed more attention. It was so exciting to see this new manager who was honored to be working in a unit of our national park system, who cared about both residents and visitors coming here. She was going to lead the charge for returning the Trust Board and the Reserve to a position of relevance in the community, and yet she understood the Reserve belongs to the Nation, not a small group of locals to call their own.

She has not let me down with her ideas and visions and talk and intentions, and her actions speak louder than her words. Marie brought in new ideas and implemented new programs. But first she had to rebuild trust in the community that had eroded with divisiveness and a lack of a common vision. She restored the ever-popular Ebey’s Conference and Community Potluck which the Trust Board had eliminated. While continuing with established relationships with organizations like the museum for interpretive programs and the county and town for design review, she sought out new partnerships with Historic Whidbey, Island Transit, the Navy, and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, among others. She restored relevant training for the Historic Preservation Commission and brokered solutions for challenging design review applications.

Marie initiated a long-overdue review of design guidelines for the Reserve. She is a strong advocate for historic preservation and the protection of the unique cultural landscape we have inherited. She expertly mended relationships with estranged groups to further benefit the Reserve. Most importantly, Marie sees partnerships as opportunities, not burdens. She understands collaboration as something that makes everyone stronger.

She has accomplished so much in such a short time. This may have been off-putting for those who thought it best to remain low-key, and especially for those who view visitors to the Reserve as a blight. This is an age-old argument for the Trust Board who have long debated whether the purpose of the Reserve is to protect a few iconic farms or to preserve and interpret the entire historic district for the American people.

Marie is a woman of action. She engages. She follows through. She is smart. and her diverse work resume, values and goals will serve her well in serving the larger community in which she lives, here in Island County. She is the fresh-face upstart we need in county government. She understands the needs for affordable and workforce housing, living wages, good health care, clean environment, open space for recreating in nature, among other issues of concern to Island County residents. And she will continue to be that strong, passionate advocate for the Reserve. The difference with Marie is that she is ready and willing to go forth and make thoughtful good change happen. Marie gets my vote for county commissioner.

Gretchen Luxenberg

Freeland