Oak Harbor City Council members appointed Eric Marshall to fill a council seat that has been vacant since Dec. 30, 2021.
Marshall, the publisher of the Whidbey Weekly and a volunteer with several local organizations, was sworn in Feb. 23 during the council’s workshop meeting after council members interviewed four shortlisted candidates and held a 26-minute executive session to evaluate the applicants.
After the executive session, Councilmember Dan Evans nominated Marshall and Councilmember Shane Hoffmire nominated Ronnie Wright. Marshall won the seat in a 4-2 vote. The seat was vacated by former Councilmember Jeff Mack at the end of last year.
In an interview with the News-Times, the new council member identified several issues he would like to work on during his term, including burdensome expenses for Oak Harbor residents and low morale among city employees.
Between the high cost of the city’s wastewater treatment facility and levies under consideration at the county and city levels, Marshall said Oak Harbor residents are footing a large bill that may continue to increase in the coming years. He said he’d like to find ways to save money for residents, including potentially putting some of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds toward wastewater treatment to preclude another utility rate increase in the future.
“We have to be cognizant of what we’re doing to the ratepayers,” he said. “I’d love to look at opportunities for where the city can save money and where we can make money.”
Marshall is interested in finding ways to generate revenue for the city that don’t involve imposing more taxes upon residents. He said ongoing projects such as Harbor Heights and Windjammer Park could potentially bring money into the city through park programs and user fees; he would like to see those completed.
That isn’t to say that Marshall is always opposed to using levies when necessary; he said he would support the levy proposed by Oak Harbor Fire Chief Ray Merrill to fund public safety improvements, including a second fire station.
On the other hand, he does not support the affordable housing tax under consideration by the county board of commissioners, although the council has no say in the matter. The key difference, he said, is whether taxpayers get to vote. In the case of the county housing tax, commissioners could implement the measure unilaterally without a public vote. For the fire department’s proposed levy, that wouldn’t be the case.
“It makes sense to me,” he said of the fire levy, “but at the same time, it’s not my decision solely. It goes to the people, and the people get to decide, and I think that’s the best way for initiatives like that to push through.”
Marshall also identified low morale among city staff as a concern to tackle. Many city employees reported to the mayor last fall that they find the city’s work culture to be toxic and fear-based, and consider city administration to be contributing to the problem.
Marshall said he would like to use his long experience as a football coach to help foster a sense of unity among city staff, council members and administrators and encourage a culture of respect.
The new council member said he is excited and a little nervous about his new position. Given the high caliber of the shortlisted applicants, he said it was an honor to be selected.
“I’m excited to get started. I grew up in this town. I raised my children here,” he said. “I love it here, and I just want to see it continue to succeed and thrive and even improve.”
