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

Scott

     

Thomasson

 

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

 

Council Member, City of Des Moines, Position no. 4

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                  Yes         

 

 

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

 

over 40 years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

48 years

 

6.   Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan?             Nonpartisan         

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:       

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

Campaign Name:

Committee  to Re-elect Scott Thomasson

 

Address:

 

24030 13th Pl S

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Des Moines, WA 98198

 

Campaign Phone:

 

206-824-5233

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

     

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

thomasson1@wans.net

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

     

 

 

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)

Council member, City of Des Moines

 

Elective

 

1987 to present

 

Mayor 6 years, Mayor pro tem 4 years,chair of various committees

 

Commissioner, Water District 56

 

appointed to fill vacancy, then elected to position

 

approximatly 1979 to 1987

 

Board President

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

 

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.)

 

I am seeking re-election because I want to continue to make Des Moines a more desirable place to live.  I am in my 16th year serving on Des Moines City Council so I have had the privilege to do this before. 

 

I was encouraged by several encumbants on the City Council when I first ran for election 16 years ago.  Each election since then citizens, other council members, and city staff have encouraged me to continue my service and run again.

 

I want to see the programs and projects that I helped initiate get completed.  These include the Pacific Ridge Redevelopment, the Marina Improvements, the Highway 99 Improvements, the Underwood Park Improvements, and crime fighting programs.

 

I also want to help craft new programs and projects for economic development, parks and recreation, public safety, transportation, and community spirit.

 

I also want to prevent the city from being negatively affected by drug trafficking, gangs, traffic congestion, airport expansion, low quality development, and other crime.

 


 

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

 

I have knowledge and experience as I have served four terms in office.

 

I am honest and have integrity.

 

I have lived in the community for almost 50 years and know the people and neighborhoods of the city.

 

I have leadership skills as evidenced in my being selected by council to be the Mayor for 6 years.  While Mayor I encouraged open dialogue and allowed everyone to speak on issues.  I would help shape concensus from varied viewpoints.

 

I can effectivly debate an issue and share my point of view without attacking the character of the other parties.

 

 

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. 

 

Being selected to be Mayor for three terms (6 years) by the other council members is testimony to the leadership skills I bring to Council.

 

A small accomplishment that I am reminded of every day as I drive by is the Basketball court at Zenith Park.  A number of years ago I had a knock on my door and to my surprise there were a number of teenagers I did not know.  They asked if they could use the basketball hoop in my driveway as there was no where else close to play.  I let them play but also soon met with the Parks Director to see what could be done to put a basketball court at the nieghborhood park.  With my support the Parks Director found some money and proceeded to have the court built.  This court is always in use.  As I drive by I am reminded how I help to make Des Moines a more desirable place to live.

 

It is a constant reminder as I drive through the city to see the transportation improvements that I have helped plan and promote over my 16 years on City Council.  I have been on the Public Safety and Transportation Council Committee for most of my time on Council and have been able to shape most of these projects.  The Downtown Transportation Improvement was one of these projects and the Highway 99 improvements which are just now starting construction will be the largest project the city has every done. 


 

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.

 

Currently in 16th year of service on Des Moines City Council using and developing the skills for the position.

 

Served as Water District Commisioner for 8 years developing leadership skills.

 

I am a Licensed Civil Engineer and have over 25 years of experience planning and designing public works infrastructure such as roads, water systems, sewer systems, and drainage systems which gives me a wealth of knowledge about a significant part of the business of the city.

 

I am employed as an engineering manager by a large city east of Lake Washington.  This gives me a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of city government.

 

I serve on many regional Boards, Committes and Sub-Committees including Cascade Water Alliance, The Interim Water Group, Seattle Water Purveyors, Metropolitan Water Pollution Abatement Advisory Committee.

 

Youth baseball and softball coach and assistant coach for ten years

 

Sunday School leader for Senior High School students

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

The major role of the City Council is to establish the policies and goals that shape our community and the laws and regulations that govern our city.  A council member needs to consider the pro's and con's of every decision being made and consider how that descision affects the various residents and businesses within the city.  There are tough choices to be made and not everyone can be satisfied.  The council must approve the Budget for the city and decide the priorities for programs and projects.


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.

 

B. S., Civil Engineering, University of Washington

 

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.

 

Currently in 16th year of service on Des Moines City Council.

Served as Water District Commisioner for 8 years.

Youth baseball and softball coach and assistant coach for ten years.

Sunday School leader for Senior High School students.

Attended local schools and Graduated from Mt Rainier High School.

 

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