A fourth candidate has emerged for the District 1 seat on the Island County Board of Commissioners.

Steven Myres, a longtime South Whidbey resident, recently announced his intention to run for the position as a Republican. He is a small business owner with experience in management, budget processes, development, contract negotiations and construction.

“I look forward to utilizing my extensive experience to ensure our community’s numerous publicly funded projects are completed efficiently,” he said in a press release. “I believe I am uniquely qualified to guide the expenditures of our limited public funds.”

Myres joins incumbent Commissioner Melanie Bacon, former county treasurer Wanda Grone and Ebey’s Reserve Manager Marie Shimada in seeking the position, which represents South and Central Whidbey. Bacon and Shimada are Democrats while Grone is a Republican.

Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson’s District 2 seat will also be on the ballot this year. She hasn’t made an announcement about her intentions, but she filed with the Public Disclosure Commission.

This is the first time that Myres has run for public office, though he was been a “steadfast supporter of the community for 30 years,” according to his website. He already has endorsements from former Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley and former Commissioner Mike Shelton.

In an interview, Myres explained that both of his parents were in the Navy and they settled on a farm near Lone Lake in 1959, raising black Angus cattle and other animals. Myres started school in Langley in first grade and graduated from South Whidbey High School in 1973.

Myres said his family learned to be self sufficient, with a large garden that provided the food they needed to make it through the winters.

Soon after graduating, Myres began operating Sound Electric. He worked on a variety of large construction projects, including Whidbey General Hospital, school projects, the Island County Law and Justice Center, as well as others across Western Washington and Alaska.

Myres said his priorities include community engagement, preservation of the environment and shoreline, and infrastructure maintenance. He pointed to a lack of boat access to the water on South Whidbey because docks and ramps were allowed to be clogged with sand and fall into a state of disrepair.

Myres said there are hard decisions ahead for the county, especially with the predictions for a sizable population increase.

“I think I’m best suited to work through and navigate the challenges facing us,” he said.

More information about Myres is available at www.myresforcommissioner.com.