Oak Harbor is blessed to have a number of good candidates running for political office. So many, in fact, that a primary election is needed for mayor, one city council position and school board.

Look around the state and there aren’t many communities with that much action in the primary. In fact, most areas don’t even have a primary as they’re lucky to have one or two candidates interested in an office, let alone three. So first, let’s thank our Oak Harbor candidates for having the community spirit to put themselves before the public, state their views and take the heat. Many people are already voting in this all-mail election, but the deadline to cast a ballot isn’t until August 21. Candidates can still make up ground and perhaps pull off an election surprise. Here’s what each has to do.

Mayor

City Councilman Paul Brewer is running a surprisingly effective campaign to date. Working with little money and against the city’s establishment, he’s painted himself as a man of the people who’s more interested in the city’s future than in supporting any particular project. He remembers when 200 citizens gathered at a meeting to protest commercial expansion south of town and he minces no words on the issue. He’s against it. Infill, he says, makes what we have better, conserves resources and controls growth. Can he pull off an upset? Perhaps, if he works extremely hard, brings his message to as many households and groups as humanly possible, and eases concerns that his temperament is too volatile to lead a city.

Jim Slowik, long-time local businessman, is clearly the establishment candidate. He’s shown himself to be an effective leader in community betterment campaigns, particularly the Rotary Club’s stadium project, and he knows his way around the business community. His leadership, experience as school board president, connections and fund-raising abilities are pluses in his campaign, but he needs to work on the vision thing. Show voters that you recognize we live on an island, it’s a special place that needs protection, and that your vision doesn’t just include a town with top-notch infrastructure that allows ever-increasing expansion.

Sue Karahalios, city councilwoman, probably has the most work to do of the three mayoral candidates. To date, she has failed to find a clear message and communicate it to the public. Brewer has staked out the environmental territory, Slowik has the business community locked up, and Karahalios is wandering somewhere in the middle. Coming from the background of a former Democratic state legislator with important connections in Olympia, she should be better able to speak boldly about how she can guide Oak Harbor’s growth while making it a much better community in the future. Instead, she focuses too much in the minutiae of government. To date, voters probably can’t say exactly what she stands for, and that’s not a good thing this late in an election campaign.

City Council

Oak Harbor’s three city council candidates all have high positives. Bob Morrison is avuncular, knowledgeable, and his background includes four years’ service on the city council before he ran for mayor and lost four years ago. What that experience has taught him isn’t apparent enough to the public, however. He needs to do a better job pointing out the city’s faults, its positives, and how he can make the process more open and inclusive. He should, in short, have more specific proposals for voters to consider.

Jim Palmer has a solid background as a businessman and community volunteer and is clearly the best prepared of all the city council candidates. He’s never far from his binder filled with details about city government, specific issues and his stand on the issues. He shares a recurring problem with several candidates for city positions, in that it’s not clear how he sees Oak Harbor in 20 years. Get your nose out of the notebook and wax a little more poetic from time to time.

Clairann Haney deserves credit for being feisty and speaking clearly. On her postal route she sees many families who can’t afford their own homes, and she’s skeptical about how constant growth benefits the average family trying to make ends meet. She doesn’t have Morrison’s experience or Palmer’s preparation, but she’s fun to have in the campaign. Work on a few specific policy recommendations and see how the public reacts.

School Board

Three good people are running for the one open school board position, but in terms of experience, this is the weakest bunch of primary candidates. Frank Pulu is a gregarious man, a great member of the community, highly supportive of athletics and the youth of the community, but he just hasn’t done his homework. We like you Frank, but it doesn’t appear you’re serious about running for the school board. If you somehow survive the primary, don’t skip any more candidates nights sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

David Sherman has done his homework, he’s the favorite of several incumbent school board members, and he comes across as sincere. Because this is his first run for public office, he’s obviously nervous in front of a crowd and so far he has failed to convey that he will bring anything new to the board. Show some independence, propose some ideas, and demonstrate that you’re your own man.

Bill Burnett is making his third run for school board, and this is his best effort to date. Instead of just criticizing, he’s made suggestions to help kids with their studies. Whether they’re practical or not, at least they show he’s thinking. The school board could benefit from an independent thinker. If he works hard, keeps things positive and continues to combat his image as a naysayer, this could be his year.