2003 Candidate Questionnaire

 

SECTION I               

 

BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION

 

1.      Name as it will appear on the ballot

 

First Name

Middle Initial or Nick Name

Last Name

Bob

     

Sheckler

 

2.   Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):

 

Des Moines City Council, Position No. 6

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                  Yes              

 

 

4.   How long have you resided in this district/city?

 

12 years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

17 years

 

6.   Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan?               Nonpartisan         

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:       

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

Campaign Name:

Committee to Re-elect Bob Sheckler

 

Address:

 

19816 5th Avenue So.

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Des Moines, WA  98148

 

Campaign Phone:

 

(206) 870-1904

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

(206) 824-6076

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

campaign@voteforbob.info

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

www.voteforbob.info

 

 

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

 

1.   Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held.  Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.

 

Public Office

Elective or Appointive?

Dates Held

Leadership Role (if any)

Des Moines City Council, Pos. 6

 

Elective

 

1996-2003

 

Mayor Pro Tem -2000 thru 2001

 

Senator, School of Education, Florida International University

 

Elective

 

1976-1977

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

 

2.   If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:

 

Office Title

Year of Run

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 


 


SECTION III

 

In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge.  These are defined as follows:

 

  • Involvement: What has the candidate done previously in family, neighborhood, community, volunteer work, employment or public life to suggest readiness to accomplish challenging objectives? How do these activities demonstrate readiness for the challenges unique to the office sought?

 

  • Effectiveness: Has the candidate demonstrated promise of being productive in the office sought?  Has the candidate shown the ability to work with other people?

 

  • Character: Do the candidate's personal traits show the ability to take on the responsibilities of campaigning for and holding the public office she or he is seeking? Is the candidate a leader, participant or observer?  Is the candidate trustworthy, reliable and candid?

 

  • Knowledge: Has the candidate demonstrated the willingness and ability to learn and adapt?  Does the candidate understand the duties and challenges of the office sought?  Does the candidate have a firm grasp of the issues important to his or her constituency and their potential effects?

 

 

1.      In a page or less, why are you running for this office?  (Note: the interview committee will be given a copy of this statement before your interview; at the beginning of your interview you will have the opportunity to expand on this statement in any way you wish.)

 

To bring to completion the work I have been involved in during the last eight years, i.e.:

 

1.  Development of the Pacific Ridge Corridor;

 

2.  Completion of the development of lands acquired for park and recreation and new community/senior activity center;

 

3.  Fight the third runway project at Sea-Tac International Airport in an effort to protect the property values and the environment for Des Moines' residents and surrounding communities;

 

4.  The Des Moines Marina Master Plan; and

 

5.  Protection and restoration of our streams, creeks, and waterfront.

 


 

2.      Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.

 

1.  Strength.  I am not afraid to stand up to an adversary, no matter how powerful and well-connected.

 

2.  Ethical.  I will not accept funds from special interest groups in their efforts to influence my vote.

 

3.  Fearless.  I am not afraid to take unpopular positions when needed to protect those I have been elected to serve.

 

4.  Articulate.  I am able to effectively communitcate with all levels of management, staff, and the general public.

 

5.  Motivator.  I am a strong motivator and problem solver.

 

6.  Organized.  I am able to accomplish things quickly by doing my homework and staying focused.

 

3.      Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud.  These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking.  These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life. 

 

1.  Chaired the citizens group organized to promote and pass a bond for construction of a new Des Moines Police Station (supermajority vote required).  The old station was not sufficient for the needs of the Department.

 

2.  Chaired the committee to organize the Highline School District school bond campaign.  This bond was the first to pass by the Highline School District voters in 16 years and will help to replace seven elementary schools, replace 80 percent and renovate 20 percent of Mt. Rainier High School, and upgrade safety at the District's Memorial Field.

 

3.  Successfully negotiated with FAA, Port of Seattle, and state legislature, who provided $150 million in matching funds for schools within the Highline School District for much-needed replacements, repairs, and noise abatement.

 


 

 

4.      Please list or describe your current and past activities in the community in which you have acquired skills that relate to the office you seek.  Include your role in the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved.  Involvement consists of many areas such as family, neighborhood, community, employment, or public life.

 

1.  Served two terms on the Des Moines City Council, 1995-2003.  Elected Mayor Pro Tem for 2000 and 2001.

 

2.  Organized and chaired citizens' group to annex the North Hill III area to the City of Des Moines.  This area was an island of unincorporated King County wedged between 4 incorporated cities.  1994.

 

3.  Chaired the citizens group organized to pass a bond for the construction of a new Des Moines Police Station (supermajority vote required).  The old station was not sufficient for the needs of the Department.  1994.

 

4.  Chaired the committee to organize the Highline School District school bond campaign.  This bond was the first to pass by the Highline School District voters in 16 years and will help to replace seven elementary schools, replace 80 percent and renovate 20 percent of Mt. Rainier High School, and upgrade safety at Memorial Field.  2001.

 

5.  Successfully negotiated with FAA, Port of Seattle, and state legislature, who provided $150 million in matching funds for schools within the Highline School District for much-needed replacements, repairs, and noise abatement.  2001.

 

6.  Lobbied the Corps of Engineers, Department of Ecology, and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife to protect our creeks and streams.  2000.

 

7.  Chaired the Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) for three years, 1999 through 2001, in an effort to stop the encroachment of Sea-Tac Airport on Des Moines, neighboring communities, and schools.

 

8.  Completed the AWC Certified Municipal Leadership Training Program with certification presented on October 21, 1998.

 

 

  1. Please describe the duties of the office you seek.  Which are the most important duties and why?

 

1.  Protect the citizens you are elected to serve.  It is of utmost importance to protect the City's environment and infrastructures for the health and enjoyment of the community.

 

2.  Present a strong voice in local and state issues that affect the community.  We are not a stand-alone community.  King County and Washington State play a large role in our quality of life issues.


EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY

FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT

 

The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report is distributed to voters in print and/or on our website.  It includes a summary of the candidate’s education.  Please summarize your education in 120 characters (letters, punctuation, and space all combined).  The League will delete material that exceeds the space limit by beginning with the last entry.  Suggested order is (degree)  (subject)  (school)  (year, if desired). 

 

Note: If this question is left blank the League will not include education information in your candidate profile.

 

BS Business Admin., FL Int'l Univ., 1975; BA Educ., FL Int'l Univ., 1977; AA Business Admin., Miami-Dade CC, 1972

 

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY

FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT

 

The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report also includes a summary of each candidate’s civic involvement.  Please summarize your civic involvement in the space below.  We will make every attempt to include the information in the Candidate Evaluation Report as submitted.  Due to space restrictions in the Report, your response is limited to 500 characters (letters, punctuation, and spaces all combined).  It is important that you list your involvement beginning with the most important and ending with the least important.  If you exceed the length of response permitted, or if the League should find it necessary to shorten responses for publication purposes,  deletions will be made beginning with the last item listed. 

 

Note: This information will appear verbatim on the League’s Candidate Evaluation Report.  If this question is left blank, the Municipal League will not include information on your civic involvement in the Report.

 

  Check here if you would like the Municipal League to copy the first 500 characters from Question 4 to paste into this section.

 

Des Moines City Council, '96-03. Negotiated with FAA, POS, & state, who provided $150 million to HSD schools. Lobbied Corps of Eng., DOE, & Dept of Fish & Wildlife to protect creeks.  Committees chaired: police station constr. bond; group to organize HSD school constr. bond; ACC - committed to stop 3rd runway, '99-01; No. Hill III annex.; & Council Envir. Comm., '00-01. USAF.  Rotary since '77. VFW.  Des Moines Food Bank Board Pres., '94-95.

 

Finished!

If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (rebecca@munileague.org).  Mail and fax numbers are listed below.  If the League has not contacted you to schedule an interview, please call the League office at your earliest convenience.

 

Don’t forget to send the following to the Municipal League:  a resume, a photo, campaign literature, and, if you are an incumbent, constituent newsletters and other materials.  Please use the check-off list on the cover sheet of this packet to indicate which items you have sent.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR CAMPAIGN!

 

THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE OF KING COUNTY

 

Candidate Evaluation Coordinator:  Rebecca Cooper

 

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224                  Phone: 206-622-8333                Email: rebecca@munileague.org

Seattle, WA 98104-1614                        Fax: 425-671-0506                        Website: www.munileague.org