As a recent candidate for Coupeville Town Council, I would like to comment on the primary election.

First, I would like to thank the League of Women Voters for hosting a well-attended candidate forum last month. I hope that for the general election, we’ll have more forums like this and that we’ll have additional time to ask questions and discuss the issues.

I’d also like to send out a heartfelt thank you to everyone I met during the primary, especially to those people who called with encouraging words and who stopped by to meet me. I greatly appreciated having the opportunity to get to know more of the wonderful people in this vibrant town.

I am extremely proud to have played a part in getting the conversation started as people think about the future of Coupeville and I look forward to future opportunities to serve the town.

It is my opinion that every candidate for town government is simply an applicant who is placing their skills, their abilities, and their values on display for public review. It is up to the public to ask the right questions and to see through the fluff to determine who is best qualified for the job. We need to ask if the candidate is a facilitator, someone who will encourage the council to find solutions, or if the candidate is so polarized on issues that open discussion is not possible. Is the candidate focused on personal gain or are they truly working for the people by whom they were selected? Will the candidate listen to all sides of an issue, including public opinion, before settling on a decision?

I continue to hope that with increased discussion and citizen involvement that we will all take responsibility for preserving this unique community. We, the citizens of Coupeville, need to take control of our future.

Therefore, I will support Gary Piazzon in the upcoming general election for Town Council Position 2, as he has proven himself to be a true friend of Coupeville.

Sue Cunningham

Coupeville