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

Lori

     

Snodgrass

 

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

 

Redmond City Council, Position No. 5

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                                No

 

 

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

 

18 years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

26 years

 

6.   Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan?               Nonpartisan         

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:       

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

Campaign Name:

Friends of Lori Snodgrass for City Council

 

Address:

 

17115 NE 86th Court, Redmond, WA  98052-3232

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Redmond, WA 98052

 

Campaign Phone:

 

425-881-7743

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

425-454-5248

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

LSnodgrass03@hotmail.com

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

www.lorisnodgrass.org

 

 

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)

Commissioner, Redmond Park Board

 

Appointive

 

4/21/98 to present

 

Chair, 3 years

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

 

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 want to bring to the Redmond community a government that is responsive to its citizens.  The current Council’s dynamics do not allow for promotion or pursuit of viable solutions to Redmond’s transportation problems, economic needs and livability issues.  I have a track record of finding creative solutions, and a leadership style that energizes and encourages visionary and positive outcomes which will help Redmond pursue alternative solutions for transportation, encourage a vibrant downtown, and spend resources wisely.

 

I am firmly committed to maintaining Redmond’s uniqueness and livability.  I want to continue community involvement in planning for the future; maintain Redmond’s high level of services which will sustain both its livability and economic vitality; strengthen effective partnerships among the City, businesses, neighborhoods, schools and community organizations; and, protect, support and invest in our parks, trails, open spaces and environment.

 


 

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

 

I will bring to this position good listening skills, ability to engage and support others in sharing ideas and participating in discussions, and a leadership style that encourages visionary and positive outcomes.  I am very closely in touch with many segments of the community, and have an extensive support group that helps me seek out and be responsive to the concerns of the people of the City.  I am very concerned with and active in preservation, improvement and acquisition of parks, trails and open space to enhance the livability of the City.  I work well with groups and consider myself a consensus builder and think that I have the ability to bring together factions and people who might not otherwise listen carefully to the views of the other.

 

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. 

 

By using my time, talents and skills to develop and enrich my activism on issues and concerns I value I have made significant contributions to my community.  Upon discovering that the City of Redmond did not have a single location or contact for youth to obtain information for volunteer, internship and employment opportunities in the City and neighboring communities, I became a founding Community Board member, along with my daughter, of the Redmond Youth Partnership (RYP).  RYP is a non-profit collaboration who’s Community Board is comprised of one-half youth and one-half adults, and who’s mission is to be a voice for young people and to promote a community where youth are valued and involved.  Assisting the Director in establishing the RYP office, establishing and chairing the Community Service Committee, and contacting local businesses and community organizations about RYP and its focus area we began the framework of what became a true community collaboration product.  Partnering with two Marketing classes at Redmond Sr. High, two Leadership Institute teams, the City of Redmond, the Lake Washington School District, and local businesses and organizations RYP created and supported its website [www.ryp.org] with listings and links and published 3 booklets which provide youth with information on community service, internship and employment opportunities. 

 

The involvement with youth issues and community concerns carried over to my involvement with the Redmond Board of Park Commissioners, of which I am in my 3rd term as its Chair, and with Redmond Residents for Responsive Government, where I was a founder and leader of the grassroots group that supported retaining Redmond’s current form of strong mayor government.


 

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.

 

As a community advocate, I have devoted years of “behind the scenes” work to make Redmond a better place to live.  I will bring to City Council Position No. 5 the skills, talents, fiscal integrity, commitment and leadership garnered from my participation over the years:

 

~ As a second-term Commissioner on the Redmond Park Board [1998-present], serving as Chair for a third year, I’ve reviewed the city’s budget, C.I.P., PRO-Plan and Comprehensive Plan; supported the acquisition and development of land for parks, trails and open space, and renovations of existing parks, pool and community buildings to be responsive to the needs of the community, including the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center which was recently voted a “World’s Great Space”; and, providing recommendations to the Council on impacts and improvements to our “green” infrastructure.

 

~ As a founding Board Member [1997-2003], Co-Chair, and Interim Director of the Redmond Youth Partnership, a non-profit youth advocacy organization, working with teens to address, support and create solutions for their issues.  I joined this organization along with my then 14-year old daughter.  Created a website and booklet for teens to obtain volunteer, internship and/or employment opportunities on the Eastside; spearheaded two joint projects with the Leadership Institute/Redmond Sr. High marketing classes; and planned and organized two community "Youthfest" celebrations.

 

~ As a 16-year active member, supporter, and Committee chair in the PTSA’s at Norman Rockwell Elementary, Redmond Jr. High and Redmond Sr. High.

 

~ As a parent supporter for 6 years, and 2-year Board Member and Treasurer [1990-1992] of Redmond North Little League.

 

~ As a parent supporter of the Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Redmond and Kirkland, and the Odyssey of the Mind program.  I have been a participant at the Family Resource Center and Lake Washington School District Volunteer Fairs.

                       

~ As a participant in the YMCA Seattle-Pacific Program [1993, 1995], hosting teens from Japan during a two week educational/cultural exchange.

           

~ As a parishioner, Festival committee member, and volunteer Sunday school and CCD teacher at St. Jude’s Parish.

           

~ As a volunteer in various neighborhood and City-wide clean-up/planting events, including Arbor Day programs, stream restorations, and the Brighton Place pond improvement.

 

I am a mother of four and have 21 years of professional experience as a legal assistant, office manager, bookkeper, and owner of a small property management business.

 

 

 

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

 

The Redmond City Council establishes the City's laws and policies through ordinances and resolutions, adopts the City's budget, approves appropriations and contracts, levies taxes and grants franchises.  The Council also reviews and updates the City's Transportation Plan and the Comprehensive Plan, which are the City's overall infrastructure, land use and growth strategy plans.  The Council works with the Mayor to encourage active citizen involvement in the government's processes.

 

These duties bear equal weight in importance as they are inter-connected elements that work to create and sustain Redmond's uniqueness and livability.  Through critical investments in public spaces, zoning that preserves and strengthens our small-town character, promotion of economic development that strengthens the community, soundly managed government that earns confidence and respect, development of transportation solutions, and active participation in regional issues that impact Redmond, the City Council plays a major role in defining, developing and implementing the community's shared vision for its future.


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.

 

AA  Business, Atlanta College of Business, Atlanta, GA 1977; Business Admin at Salem State College, Salem, MA 1973-75.

 

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.

 

Redmond Park Board Commissioner, 3rd yr as Chair. Founding Board Member/Co-Chair/Interim Director of Redmond Youth Partnership. 16-yr member of PTSA’s.

Parent supporter Redmond North Little League (2-yr Board Member/Treasurer), LWYSA, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA Seattle-Pacific Program. Member St. Jude’s Parish.  Participant Family Resource Center and LWSD Volunteer Fairs. City-wide clean-up/planting events, Arbor Day programs, stream restorations and Brighton Place pond improvement volunteer.

 

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