Snoqualmie City Council candidates Q&As

Four seats on the Snoqualmie City Council are up for election this fall. In just a few weeks, during the Nov. 7 General Election, residents will get to chose who they want to represent them on council.

To help voters, the Valley Record has asked all candidates running in competitive races to answer a series of questions about their their experience, priorities and why they would be the best candidate for the job. Their responses can be read below. (Answers have been edited lightly for clarity and brevity)

Snoqualmie City Council Position 4 – Louis Washington v. Carson Maestas

Louis Washington (left) and Carson Maestas. Courtesy photos.

In 150 words or less, please tell us about yourself and why you are running for City Council:

Washington: I moved to Snoqualmie in 2018. My partner, Angela, and I are proud parents of a dachshund/cocker spaniel mix, Evelynn. We love taking her on long walks in our beautiful community. Prior to my appointment to the Snoqualmie City Council, I served on the Economic Development Commission and Affordable Housing Task Force helping our community navigate complex challenges. I have sought to facilitate open communication and apply real-world problem-solving skills. I have over 18 years of sales and leadership experience in the medical device industry. I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to have served on your City Council this year. With your vote, I am seeking to continue my service protecting our city’s amazing quality of life and working effectively with other leaders to find solutions.

Maestas: I’m running for the residents of downtown. My intent is not to further the unnecessary divide between the Ridge and the Valley, but to bridge that gap. Our seven-member council needs a representative who genuinely understands the unique character, intricacies, and essence of downtown. Snoqualmie is a vibrant clash of old and new. Instead of putting them at odds, we can discover ways they can complement and enhance each other. As we transition from a logging town to a tourist one, it’s crucial that we continue to draw visitors by preserving our rich history and scenic beauty. By revitalizing our Historic District, fostering a creative environment, and preserving our natural attractions, we can ensure that Snoqualmie remains a beautiful thriving community for generations to come.

If elected, what would your top three priorities be?

W: Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, Affordable Housing

M: Revitalizing Downtown and ensuring responsible development of our limited remaining land. By preserving the natural scenic beauty of Snoqualmie, we will ensure that both residents and tourists can enjoy this place for generations to come.

Fostering an environment that allows artists to thrive and contribute to our community’s cultural fabric. Keep Snoqualmie a little weird.

Ensure that Snoqualmie remains one of the safest communities in Washington by working hand in hand with our local police department to retain our phenomenal officers and attract the best officers in King County.

What issue or issues do you see as the most significant challenges over the next few years? Tell us why you are uniquely qualified to handle or find a solution to these issues.

W: Economic Development – I will continue to lead on small business support that has kept Snoqualmie one of the best places to live. Environmental Sustainability – As a councilmember and a member of the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum, I will continue to ensure Snoqualmie remains a beautiful place for generations to come. Affordable Housing –I will continue to work to develop smart affordable housing that protects the character of our community while meeting our growing needs.

M: The most pressing challenges Snoqualmie faces in the coming years are twofold: the risk of losing our cultural identity amidst the pressures of development, and the potential erosion of our status as one of Washington’s safest communities. As we grapple with the delicate balance of fostering responsible development while preserving our unique creative atmosphere, we can’t fall into the trap of making short-sighted decisions that could transform our picturesque town into something unrecognizable in a decade. I think I’m the right person to help mitigate these risks because of my diverse background, from serving in the Marines to roles in Supply Chain and Contracts. The insights that I’ll bring to the city council will help us navigate these challenges. While I do bring a unique perspective and experience that is very relevant, I also recognize the value of expertise. Where I may lack specific knowledge, I’m committed to actively listening to professionals and the community.

How are you currently involved in the community?

W: Prior to my appointment to the Snoqualmie City Council, I served on the Economic Development Commission and Affordable Housing Task Force helping our community navigate complex challenges. I have sought to facilitate open communication and apply real-world problem-solving skills.

M: Service to others has always been a part of my life, manifesting in various forms over the years. It began with the Boy Scouts, where I learned the importance of selflessness and the value of contributing to a better community. I carried this commitment to service with me when I enlisted in the USMC in the summer of 2002. I vividly recall celebrating my 21st birthday by having guard duty in the middle of the night while on a deployment in Iraq. In more recent years, my service has been more localized. While many in the Valley might know me as “The Drone Guy from Nextdoor,” it’s opened doors for me to serve our community in unique ways. From designing artwork for a new beer at a local brewery to creating engaging videos for customer waiting areas, and even assisting non-profit organizations with content for their marketing efforts. I’ve also had the privilege to assist a local video production company that was in need of a certified drone pilot on short notice, without any charge. One of my favorite opportunities to be of service this year was when I got asked to volunteer for the “Neon Dream” event at Twede’s. It was such a rewarding experience to be able to contribute a little bit of myself at an event that meant so much to members of the community.

Tell us about your professional experience and how it would benefit the city council.

W: I have sought to facilitate open communication and apply real-world problem-solving skills. I have over 18 years of sales and leadership experience in the Medical Device Industry.

M: For the past 15 years, my career has been in Procurement and Contracts for large businesses. My job is all about getting someone the thing that they need, whether it is equipment, software, or services. It’s my job to make sure that we’ve followed the processes and done our due diligence when we want to spend our money to run the business. Invariably, someone is always unhappy with you because of the competing interests, and you have to be the person to find a solution that works for everyone. I don’t think that there is a better parallel to the role of City Council. While I’ve never managed a standalone department budget, I’ve been responsible for helping the department leaders that I support in managing their own multi-hundred-million-dollar budgets.

During my time in the U.S. Marine Core, I held the role of platoon sergeant with approximately 30 Marines that fell under my leadership. For a short period at a training school environment, I was responsible for 82 junior Marines. While this time period aged me greatly, I learned the most about myself and refined my leadership approach during this experience.

Housing in our community has become unaffordable for many – including service workers, first responders, law enforcement and teachers. What policies or ideas would you support to address this?

W: Affordable Housing is a concern in Snoqualmie. As the chair of the Affordable Housing Taskforce Policy committee, I will continue to work to develop smart affordable housing that protects the character of our community while meeting our growing needs. I think it is important that we consider affordable housing for our local workforce. To support service workers, first responders, law enforcement and teachers, I am a proponent of workforce housing between 50% AMI – 80% AMI for our community.

M: I will admit, I am not an urban planning expert, but I can promise you that I’ll listen to those that are, and that I’ll fairly evaluate the proposals from the perspective of trying to maximize the existing space that we have to release a little bit of pressure on those in need of an affordable solution. I want to commend our current City Council on recently passing Ordinance 1279 within 3 months of House Bill 1337 getting signed so that some of the overburdening restrictions on Accessory Dwelling Units would be eased to more reasonable standards. In short, I think we can find a solution that can add housing capacity that works for those who are in need of affordable housing, that doesn’t require us to do what North Bend is doing. I want to hold that type of development off from here as long as possible, but I’m willing to entertain most options that will have a lesser impact on the existing community and give us a few more reasonably priced housing options for service workers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and teachers.

How would you balance the need for economic development and more housing with sustainability and preserving our community’s small-town feel?

W: I will continue the progress on developing smart affordable housing that protects the character of our community while meeting our growing needs. I will prioritize collaboration on public safety between law enforcement, first responders, and service providers to ensure a safe and healthy Snoqualmie. I will also lead on environmental sustainability and small business support that has kept Snoqualmie one of the best places to live.

M: That is exactly what my campaign is all about. Preserving that small-town feel (warts and all) that gives Snoqualmie its charm. While I may be campaigning on a platform of preserving the small-town feel of a revitalized downtown area, I want to ensure that you know my priority is to find ways to preserve the essence of being that charming mountain town at the foot of the Cascades no matter what elevation you live at. I would love to see more events for our local artists to be able to showcase their creations and enrich our community.

In your opinion, is the city headed in the right direction?

W: Snoqualmie is one of the best places to live and our city is absolutely headed in the right direction. I believe when evaluating and making decisions a certain culture must always prevail. The culture that I am identifying is a culture of listening and understanding. No matter what direction or challenges our community faces, we must all continue to endeavor first a culture of listening and understanding of each other. My vision is that I will work with our city and community to continue that culture of respect through individual engagement.

M: Absolutely. I do think it’s heading in the right direction, but I do think certain things could be done a little bit better. We always have to ensure that we are really thinking of what the long-term impacts are of our short-term actions (and inactions.) Unfortunately, in our case, we’re seeing some unexpected effects already in our community. From 2018-2020 Snoqualmie was rated as the safest city in Washington, and just this last year we came in at number ten. We are resting on our laurels and stretching our police department too thin to handle all we ask of them. This is coming from a guy who participated in the 2020 North Bend Black Lives Matter protest. We need to take better care of our Police Department. I know this very position is a pretty stark contrast to the rest of my platform, but I hope you understand that my holistic goal is to keep Snoqualmie this picturesque, little mountain town that’s a safe place for us to raise our families in.

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Snoqualmie City Council Position 5 – Catherine Cotton v. Mandeep Walia

Catherine Cotton (left) and Mandeep Walia. Courtesy images.

In 150 words or less, please tell us about yourself and why you are running for City Council:

Cotton: I’ve recently retired as a practicing Veterinarian but am still an active volunteer for Snoqualmie and will continue to serve. My dedication to our community runs deep and I bring a unique understanding from decades of service. As a senior citizen, now on a fixed income, I also bring a practical perspective that recognizes the importance of fiscal accountability, affordable housing and community planning. As a downtown Snoqualmie resident for over 20 years I’ve seen many changes occur within our city and Valley. I will work to cultivate and preserve Snoqualmie’s delightful charm, character, history, cultural diversity and natural beauty. We want to support our local (downtown and Snoqualmie Ridge) businesses with community events that draw not only residents and visitors to our city but we also want to be mindful of our development aspirations and plan for the economic health of our community and its current and future resources.

Walia: I am a native Washingtonian and moved to Snoqualmie eight years ago with my husband and three boys. We immediately fell in love with this quaint and beautiful city. So much so, that we moved my aging parents here, with the hope of retiring and growing old along with them. Therefore, I am highly invested in ensuring that our city remains economically vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive. I have been publicly engaged either through volunteer service, school, or sports activities, and I would like to make a larger impact by serving on the City Council and further engaging and addressing the concerns of the residents here. My background as a physician, mother, daughter to immigrant parents and small business owner, gives me an all-encompassing and unique insight into the various needs of the community and I hope to bring a new and diverse perspective to the City Council.

If elected, what would your top three priorities be?

C: Support local businesses to stimulate economic health for the community. To cultivate and support a stable, sound and healthy local business economy supported by residents and visitors alike. Continue to promote and add new community activities and events to draw residents and visitors to the Snoqualmie Valley with its captivating natural beauty and the City of Snoqualmie with its charm, character and amenities.

Public Safety and infrastructure should be supported and expanded as needed/projected for the City and community. Emergency services (Police, Fire, EMS, Public Works, etc.) should be supported and provided with the tools, manpower and resources necessary to provide these vital services to our residents. We want to insure the ability of our frontline workers to do their jobs, protect themselves and save lives in the emergency situations in which they are constantly placed. We want to maintain a safe and healthy community.

Affordable and Senior housing within our community. We should also consider the ability to support and let our seniors who want to age in place in their own home or community do just that. Housing that can accommodate those needs (single level, wider doors, grab bars, decreased yard maintenance, etc.) can allow our senior citizens to live in a safe environment for many years.

W: First, a city and its people cannot sustain itself or prosper without good equitable access to healthcare. Public health and ensuring the wellbeing of our community is one of my top priorities. We are privileged to have a large hospital system here in Snoqualmie and we need to collaborate to bring more outreach with increased services to our city. This includes robust pediatric and primary care, women’s health, and diagnostic services. We really must put more focus on behavioral health as well. Not only is it one of our top calls to our already over stretched police officers, but it is also one of the causes of increased homelessness and crime. Furthermore, with an elderly population we must ensure our seniors can age in place. They need transportation to appointments and services that are difficult to obtain in Snoqualmie such as caregivers, home health therapy and meal assistance.

Second, with the 2022 Snoqualmie census demonstrating that 32% of our population is under the age of 18, and suicide is the second leading cause of death in children, it is extremely important that we invest in the healthy development and wellness of our children. We need indoor recreation and cultural activities to enhance their mental wellbeing, expand their skill set and increase social interaction. There are several issues that children deal with that are not being brought to the forefront and they need a place to have their voices heard. As a parent, I would like to see a youth advisory committee who regularly engages with our City Council. We need them to be excited about civic engagement as they are the future of our city.

Finally, we must focus on economic vibrancy and enhanced quality of life. I hope to implement innovative ideas to assist our small businesses thrive such as hosting tournaments and increasing tourism through city hosted events, as well as effectively marketing and promoting these events to encourage the people of surrounding cities to attend. This will help stimulate our businesses without depleting our natural resources. Also attracting a skilled workforce is vital for our businesses to flourish, along with consideration of a small business administrative office through the city to assist with loans, permitting, and grants to help support and assist new entrepreneurs in opening their businesses in Snoqualmie.

What issue or issues do you see as the most significant challenges over the next few years? Tell us why you are uniquely qualified to handle or find a solution to these issues.

C: Increasing and then maintaining an acceptable level of staffing for our Public Safety Departments is of vital importance. Our fire and police departments are amongst the lowest paid in King County. Fire has had more mandatory overtime for the past five to six years than ever before and police have been working mandatory 12 hour shifts since 2012. This increases stress and potential for PTSD, burnout and compassion fatigue are for our emergency personnel as well as the very real risk of staff migration to other jobs and departments. I’ve tried very hard to keep open communications with our public safety departments including continuing to volunteer and do ride alongs with these agencies.

Being able to maintain the City’s revenue stream without raising taxes does provide challenges in light of losing a large percentage of LVAT funding recently. Fiscal accountability and budgeting are always so important. Investigating other options to help with this including potentially increasing the retail and lodging footprint within those projects that have already been approved. Coming from the field of Veterinary Medicine which is always seeking ways to increase revenue stream as this health field deals primarily with a household’s expendable income as its source of cash flow. It does help to be creative with our solutions.

W: With continuous population growth and people living longer there is a strain on city resources. Things such as lack of housing, depletion of land and water, traffic congestion, pollution and probable future pandemics can jeopardize the health and economic welfare of cities. Trends also demonstrate a steady increase in crime. Although we cannot predict what the future holds, we need to anticipate these problems and be well equipped to manage them. I will research these trends, review data, find the root cause of the issue, collaborate with surrounding cities and local governments to find solutions to these challenges to ensure our city’s future sustainability. Furthermore, as the covid pandemic has made noticeably clear, we must be prepared in advance and make certain that as a city we are resilient and able to face adversity when emergencies arise.

How are you currently involved in the community?

C: I’m still an active volunteer EMT, firefighter and one of lead medical trainers for the Snoqualmie Fire Department since 2002. I actively participate in community training of Snoqualmie Fire’s Public Safety courses and events (including Stop the Bleed and Emergency Opioid Overdose and Poisoning training). I also participated in multiple COVID Vaccination Clinics at the Fire Department. I’ve served as the Snoqualmie Arts Commission Co-Chair for the past year. I’ve remained active in the Snoqualmie Firefighters Association in various Officer positions for over 20 years and am the current Vice-President. I organize and coordinate various Fire Department community events (including our annual Pancake Breakfast, Snoqualmie Days activities and Santa Food Drive). And I recently received the Washington State Firefighters Association 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.

W: Despite working full time, I spend my days being a mom and therefore I am extremely engaged with our community, whether it be through volunteering for field trips, sports games or PTSA hosted events (my favorite is judging the spelling bee). Outside of this, I have volunteered to vaccinate our community, organized activity drives for North Bend Regency and Echo Glen Juvenile Detention Center, hosted a clothing drive to send to the underserved in India and volunteered to help sort and load containers to ship to Syrian refugees. I volunteer yearly at a youth camp as their “camp doctor” and through the Snoqualmie Bharat Association I have taught dance to both children and women. I currently serve on my housing board, and I am a King County Medical Society delegate working on healthcare policy and reform. As my next venture, I am working with Mt. Si Senior center to initiate health talks for our Seniors.

Tell us about your professional experience and how it would benefit the city council.

C:While my background, work and volunteer experience for the past 45 years has been in human medicine, veterinary medicine and firefighting this has given me a unique opportunity and ability to actively listen to people and often “read between the lines”. I have more recently become a Snoqualmie Arts Commissioner and Co-Chair. With these experiences I have been able to facilitate joint decisions, formulate action plans and implement solutions that are mutually acceptable. I have excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as proficiency in team leadership, supervision and motivation. I have served as an active volunteer for the City of Snoqualmie’s Fire Department for the past 20 years not only as an EMT and medical instructor but I have also coordinated planning and organization of many community activities and events. I believe these abilities will aid in my continued service to the citizens of the City of Snoqualmie and the Snoqualmie community.

As a Veterinarian I worked with a ten doctor, 24-hour practice in Issaquah for 15 years where the doctors supervised up to 25 nurses, assistants and receptionists. The annual budget was $1.2 million.

W: I am an internal medicine physician whose focus over the years has been on acute care medicine as a hospitalist and a frontline worker. Recently, I have taken on more administrative roles, first as a medical director for various skilled nursing facilities, and now the PACE (program for all-inclusive care for the elderly) and HAWP (healthy aging and wellness program) medical director, which is a Medicare and Medicaid program providing resources to help seniors to age in place.

As a medical director I oversee numerous diverse patients and ensure their well-being and have a ballpark of 30 employees that I supervise. I previously worked for the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital as their hospitalist and together, with my husband, own a small surgical practice. My profession will benefit the city council in numerous ways; I will not only bring a human service perspective to the City Council, but as a physician and medical director, I understand data driven research in making informed decisions, know the value of good listening and effective communication, and have vast experience working collaboratively with various teams, diverse people and disciplines in order to achieve a set of goals. I am also very well versed with policy, regulation and how to manage a budget as well as the need to be financially responsible, which are vital tools needed when serving on the City Council.

Housing in our community has become unaffordable for many – including service workers, first responders, law enforcement and teachers. What policies or ideas would you support to address this?

C: This issue is of great importance as it also contributes to the transportation issues we have here in the Valley with so many workers commuting daily. The SnoValley Chamber of Commerce hosts the SV Housing Task Force Forum monthly to find and work on options to address this issue. Certainly looking at alternative housing model ideas for the valley from other states that are experiencing these or similar housing issues is logical. In Maui County [Hawaii] every new housing development has a significant portion of smaller single family homes, townhomes and even “tiny” homes that are made available at a more affordable price. Many times, these are sold in a lottery by qualification. Other considerations may be offering vouchers or tax credits to help meet qualifications for financing.

W: I would first start with engaging our community, we have an abundance of engineers, architects and contractors who could guide us and provide suggestions and ideas on how to approach affordable housing. Also, turning to our neighbors, non-profit organizations, local governments including the Snoqualmie Tribal Council to work collaboratively to furnish innovative ideas and funding sources to mitigate this crisis. We need to support the ongoing efforts by the state, county, and city governments on this matter. Such as, looking at available and underutilized land, as well as unused buildings that can be revitalized and used for housing. Looking at incentives and tax credits or exemptions for private builders so a portion of their building is allotted to affordable housing. We may need to make certain adjustments to zoning laws to allow more density and mixed-use development. Interestingly, single person household in the US is on the rise to about 30% and therefore we should look at micro-units as a possible solution to lack of affordable housing, especially when land is scarce.

How would you balance the need for economic development and more housing with sustainability and preserving our community’s small-town feel?

C:While economic development is important for our tax revenue base we need to avoid over-building into our surrounding natural resources. We must be aware of the land uses we deem appropriate for our community. While the iconic historic Downtown area does have guidelines for aesthetics and building allowed so as not to adversely affect the character and appeal, we need to insure that the Ridge also maintains that small-town feel as well.

Apartments (maisonettes) built on top of commercial spaces are commonly known as mixed-use buildings. These types of buildings are designed to have residential units, such as apartments or condos, located above commercial spaces, like stores, restaurants, or offices. I believe some of this type of housing has already been approved for development at the old Mill Pond site. This can help maintain a community small-town feel as well with amenities within walking or cycling distance.

W: First and foremost, it is imperative to preserve our cultural landmarks, historic buildings, and green spaces to help maintain the town’s unique character. Any new development should remain similar in appearance to the surrounding area. We need to focus on energy-efficient construction, use of renewable materials, more public walkways, and public transport to ensure sustainability and that the increased growth is not at the expense of our environment. This can be achieved by creating strict standards and regulations that need to be adhered to. In addition, working on zoning regulations for higher density housing near town centers and preserving low-density near neighborhoods. Also, looking at economic development in other ways such as enhanced tourism and promotion of our small businesses.

In your opinion, is the city headed in the right direction?

C I believe that in general Snoqualmie is headed in a good direction, but there’s always room for improvement! We need to keep our community involved with comprehensive planning and make sure every voice is heard. We need to be proactive about continuing to improve some of our interventional services for drug use, mental health and homeless issues. Believe it or not, it’s all right here in Snoqualmie!

Having a trained mental health professional ride with Snoqualmie Police is a great step in intervention on the front lines, but there is always more work to do with shelter services and needs — which is quite noticeable when full or under quarantine as people start sleeping in City parks and wooded areas. With the national fentanyl/opioid epidemic reaching into Washington (and Snoqualmie) it is imperative that we educate the community and our citizens (adults and children alike) to make good choices. The Snoqualmie Fire Department is the only department in King County offering public courses on Emergency Opioid overdoes/Poisoning training (and Narcan administration).

Other concerns previously stated are maintaining our City staff numbers for the Departments to be able to work effectively and efficiently. We need our infrastructure (Police, Fire, Public Works, Transportation, etc.) to keep up with previous planned development. Planning for the economic health of our community as well as current and future resources is vital now.

W: Yes, our city is heading in the right direction. Our current City Council and Mayor [Katherine] Ross have designed a very well planned and thought-out comprehensive strategy which takes into consideration our increasing population, safety, climate change, and transportation amongst other issues. They assessed the needs of our community and how to continue to make our city sustainable and economically vibrant. With that being said, we live in a beautiful area with a community that truly cares about this city and would be willing to step up and do more, if asked. Moving forward, I would like to see the city continue its effort on transparency, community engagement and involvement, as well as fostering relationships with surrounding cities.

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Snoqualmie City Council Position 6 – Cara Christensen / Snoqualmie City Council Position 2 – Rob Wotton