North Bend citizens run to fill open city council position

With Primary Election ballots arriving this week, The Valley Record reached out to candidates in several races to share who they are and what they value. For North Bend’s City Council position 7, the candidates are Mary Miller, Kristin Tetuan and Darren Glazier.

Q: Tell us about who you are:

Marry Miller: I have lived and been an active part of North Bend for 27 years, raising two wonderful children. As a longtime freelance photographer, I have gained and maintained the trust of individuals, families, businesses and government, thus allowing me to see the inner workings in the lives and details of our community. Through the years as city of North Bend photographer, I have been able to document crucial imagery from construction, aerial and event photography revealing the important and precious element of respecting our city contemporary history. I also work in the construction industry, sometimes on local projects, which has given me a breadth of better understanding of the requirements and needs of infrastructure in our community.

I am priveleged to be a city of North Bend planning commissioner for the past four years. My love for North Bend and community has led to years of volunteering in a wide range of foundations, boards, commissions, and community events as well as donating my time teaching/mentoring/speaking at many of the schools within the Snoqualmie Valley School District.

Kristin Tetuan: I am a native of the area, I work in special education and the arts, am a professional violist and photographer, and I have a lot to offer our community. I have a wide breadth of professional experience, including executive level retail, marketing/public relations, education, performance and coaching. I’m an intuitive leader and am a reliable teammate. I am looking forward to the opportunity to get more involved with my community.

Darren Glazier: I was born and raised in North Bend. The Glazier family has been in North Bend for over 110 years. After graduating from Mount Si, I attended Washington State University where I graduated with a degree in social sciences. For the last two years I have been the executive director of Regency North Bend Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Assisting patients and families navigate the fragmented and complicated health care industry requires patience and action in equal measure.

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue for North Bend? How would you address this as a councilmember?

Miller: Among important issues I care deeply about is our economic infrastructure, which includes water, sewage, transportation, health, education and safety. I deeply value our small town culture and recognize some change is expected. I will strive to ensure that change is strategically planned and managed. As your councilmember, I will represent you. I will listen to you and take your concerns into consideration. I believe that with greater communication, the ability to collaborate, hearing and respecting different points of views is imperative in order to make the best informed decisions that affect quality of life for all.

I would be most honored to be your council representative and humbly ask for your vote.

Tetuan: There are many challenges that our town is facing in the wake of growth and rising cost of living. Obviously, as a council person, I will only be a fraction of the greater conversation. That being said, it is very important to me that the city makes it a priority to grow sustainably and with our green spaces, critical habitats and wetlands in mind, working closely with the state departments that monitor and study these areas so that the development that will inevitably occur has a minimal environmental impact. Additionally, I think prioritizing development of affordable housing is extremely important. We need more multi-unit structures for lower income families, and we need to be willing to look at how we can keep rental costs down for them. I don’t have all the answers but I love research and trying to find innovative solutions for tough problems so I hope that I will be given that opportunity.

Glazier: Without a doubt, the biggest issue facing North Bend is dealing with incredible demand for housing and the subsequent infrastructure issues that follow. The role of city council is to advise the city regarding economic development matters and a few public works departments. While many candidates promote their passions for particular issues, a more restrained and nuanced solution is typically necessary for many municipal issues. Optimism should be tempered with skepticism when deciding how, where and when to use taxpayer money.

Recent city councilmembers have done a terrific job charting a course for North Bend. Branding North Bend as the premiere outdoor recreational destination has proven to be a huge success. Our great little city has been discovered. But not everyone may be pleased that we’ve been discovered. Many longtime residents are frustrated with growth and the issues that follow. As a candidate for city council it is incumbent upon me to hear out and respect the opinions of both the new and the old. It is no easy task creating a community such as ours. Let’s appreciate what we’ve got and understand that those moving to our great town only want to be a part of it.

The Primary Election will be held on Aug. 6.