1. Name as it will appear on the ballot
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First Name |
Middle Initial or Nick Name |
Last Name |
2. Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):
3. Are you the incumbent? Yes No
4. How long have you resided in this district/city?
5. How long have you resided in King County?
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20 years |
6. Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan? Partisan Nonpartisan
CAMPAIGN CONTACTS
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Campaign Name: |
Orrico For Bellevue |
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Address: |
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Campaign Website: |
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1. Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held. Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.
2. If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:
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Year of Run |
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In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge. These are defined as follows:
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.)
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I am passionate about my community. We work for a living. We love and take care of our families. But everyone needs that one thing that feeds their soul, that energizes them. For me that “thing” is community work.
I have always enjoyed working for my various communities in one way or another, whether it is putting on auctions for March of Dimes or the Ruth Dykeman’s Children’s Center, working in my children’s school, serving in various capacities for the Bar Association, attending Advance Bellevue, or serving as an officer and trustee for the Overlake Hospital Foundation, or on the Bellevue Planning Commission. This is what energizes me, gives me passion. I love the people I meet, solving issues, helping people.
And as a result of all of these different types of community work, I have learned how to work with others, to identify issues and solutions, to help build consensus, to be decisive, to move things forward, to set and accomplish goals.
I want to give my energy and passion to helping Bellevue be the best city it can be. Bellevue is a great place – to live, to work, to raise a family, to grow old. It is my home. I have chosen to raise my children here; I hope to grow old here; I hope that my kids find it a special as I do when it comes time for them to chose where to live. So I want it to be the best place it can be, now and into the future.
We need to be proactive about meeting the challenges that face the City. We must see the issues as a whole, not just focus on discreet issues. We need to look at all of the pieces and how they interact. We need to achieve and maintain a balance among all of the elements: neighborhoods, traffic, economic development, human services, land use, safety, fiscal responsibility.
Through my service on the Planning Commission, I have gained an appreciation for how all these pieces, “elements”, work together and impact one another. In my job as a municipal attorney, I have seen other cities struggling with these same issues. Issues such as how to effectively use the limited land and resources we have in the way best for the citizens. I want to help solve these problems for Bellevue. I have seen cities struggling to encourage economic development in one area of their communities without hurting another part of their community. Bellevue needs to look at its economic development opportunities - encourage business to come into other areas of our community, while continuing to foster our strong downtown economic base. We also need to be conscious of how economic development affects our neighborhoods, in terms of traffic, infrastructure, and services. I have also seen all of the cities in our area struggle with the issue of traffic. We must recognize that we can’t solve the traffic issues alone, and that our strength lies in numbers. We must be a strong leader for the eastside communities and present a unified eastside voice to ensure that we receive our fair share of transportation funds. These are only some of the issues that will face the City and affect its residents, businesspeople, and parents. With effective leadership, we can solve these issues. I believe I have the energy, the experience, and the commitment to our community to serve the citizens of Bellevue and make Bellevue the best place it can be. |
2. Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.
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Determination/Dedication: I do not undertake things lightly; when I make a commitment to do something, I see it through to completion. I believe in the activities with which I am involved, and will do anything in my power to get the results needed, whether it is raising money, brainstorming to arrive at solutions to problems, assimilating others into an organization, bringing people to consensus, or taking the steps needed to come to a resolution. I am known as a “closer”. As a result of my ability to get things done, I often end up in leadership roles.
Passion/Energy: I am passionate about my city and community service, and I have an incredible amount of energy. My many activities (my family, my work as a municipal attorney, my service on the Overlake Hospital Foundation, my service as a member of the Bellevue Planning Commission) give me energy - it seems the more I do the more energized I become. This energy translates into results for the organizations for which I work.
Problem-solving: I have dealt with a broad range of issues in my 20 years as a municipal and business attorney, and I am able to apply this knowledge within many different frameworks. Similarly, I have encountered a wide variety of issues, people, and problems in my diverse roles in community service. I have an ability to step back and see the “big picture” and then identify the keys to resolving the issue. I am also very effective at bringing people to the table, helping them come to consensus and resolution on issues, and getting them to take the steps necessary to complete the task.
Articulate: I can take ideas and express them well, to different audiences. I can explain to a constituent our goals and purposes and why we chose a certain route to accomplish those goals; I can discuss the high level ramifications of choosing different alternatives with other policy makers and community leaders.
Interpersonal skills: I am a “people person.” I get along with people quite well. I am good at engaging people and getting people involved. I have also been successful at re-energizing boards and committees and giving them new direction so that they can function effectively. For example, during my tenure in the Washington Young Lawyers Division, I was known as the “committee troubleshooter”, and was placed as the chairperson of several committees that had lost their energy and direction, transforming them into productive committees. I enjoy working with people of diverse backgrounds and nature, helping them function together and come to consensus. The part of my campaign that I have enjoyed the most is meeting people (I have met with over 200 community leaders and “doorbelled” about 2,000 homes already!); I value their differing perspectives, opinions, and the issues they see as facing the City. |
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.
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.
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Municipal Attorney, Ogden Murphy Wallace (2000 – present). As a city attorney for other local cities (e.g. Issaquah, Medina, Monroe) with many of the same issues that Bellevue faces, I am called on daily to answer questions from staff and elected officials. This has given me a very broad exposure to a wide variety of concerns and problems, ranging from land use to governance to fiscal management. I understand the problems underlying these issues, have seen many different approaches to the problems, and know what is effective and what is not. I have had the opportunity to establish good working relationships with people at all levels of city government, from planning staff, to human resources managers, to finance directors, to city managers, to mayors and city council members. Please see description under Question 3, above, for more details.
Bellevue Planning Commission, Member (2004 - present). As a member of the Bellevue Planning Commission, I have become intimately familiar with the different components of the City of Bellevue, such as neighborhoods, transportation, economic development, human services, land use, diversity, safety, and fiscal management. I have come to recognize the importance of achieving and maintaining a balance among all of these elements, and the danger of focusing on one area to the detriment of others. My service on the Planning Commission has proved to be a nice complement to my experiences as a municipal attorney: as a municipal attorney, my focus has been on adopting and implementing legislation, or responding to issues after they arise, whereas my experience as a Planning Commissioner has focused on crafting the solutions that become the laws and regulations, and finding ways to prevent issues from arising.
Overlake Hospital Foundation: Member, Board of Trustees (2003 - present), Member, Executive Committee (2004 - present), Co-Chairperson, Donor Relations (2004 - present), Member, Board Governance and Development (2003 - present), Member, South Tower Campaign Strategic Planning Committee (2004 - present). Through my work with the Overlake Hospital Foundation, I have come to recognize the importance of supporting local businesses and institutions that are integral to the city. The Foundation was undergoing internal changes when I joined, and experiencing the disruption and difficulties that often accompany with change. I was quickly elevated to several leadership positions within the Foundation, where we had to do a great deal of team- and consensus-building among both staff and volunteers; find ways to meet to the hospital’s increasing budget needs; bring members of diverse communities onto the Foundation team; and create the framework to bring continuity to ongoing programs.
Graduate of Advance Bellevue, Class of 2003. Through Advance Bellevue, I learned about the various areas of the greater Eastside including governance, community organizations and institutions, and regional issues. Advance Bellevue also taught me many valuable skills such as team work and team building, problem resolution, and community outreach.
Successful candidate for 2003 Bellevue Charter Commission election for Freeholder Position #14. As a result of my involvement with the charter process, I learned a great deal about how the city is governed, and what makes that governance effective. I learned about the diverse communities within Bellevue, and their common as well as differing goals and values. I also learned how to do effective community outreach. The process also gave me valuable insight into our citizens’ view of good governance and the services they value.
Washington State Bar Association: Board Member, Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board (1997 - 2003); Washington Young Lawyers Division: Board Trustee (1992-95), Board Secretary (1993); Chairperson, Community Service Committee (1996-97); Chairperson, CLE Committee (1995-96); Chairperson, Legislation Committee (1990-92). I served in many positions in the Bar Association. This gave me wide experience in formulating and drafting proposals, representing the interests of the community, working with people from diverse backgrounds, and helping people resolve their disputes. As a member of the MCLE Board (appointed by the Supreme Court), I helped draft and enforce the rules governing continuing education requirements for attorneys. In particular, I personally spearheaded projects to provide basic skills training for young lawyers, and access to services for indigent members. In my service with the Young Lawyers Division, I worked with many groups over a wide range of issues. Projects with which I was involved included judicial selection, improving professionalism in legal practice, and developing and implementing community programs such as the Stay in School Video, the GAAP project for providing affordable legal services, and the Aspiring Youth Project afterschool program for middle-schoolers.
Citizen Advocacy Panel (“CAP”), IRS Pacific Northwest District (Appointed by U.S. Secretary of Treasury), Vice Chair (2000-2001), Chair Small Business Committee (1999-2000). The CAP was a pilot project formed to identify and develop solutions to systemic problem within the IRS. The CAP was made up of twelve members from our district of Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Hawaii. The CAP was a tremendous opportunity both in terms of the high level training we received as well as our extensive community interaction. Because we were a newly created body, the federal government devoted a great deal of resources to skills training for the panel in everything from team building, to community outreach, to identifying and solving problems. The Panel held public hearings throughout the Pacific Northwest, assisted taxpayers with problems, and worked with the IRS to identify and develop resolutions to systemic legislative and administrative problems. As Vice Chair of the Panel, I played a key role in formulating proposals and helping bring the Panel to consensus on issues. As Chair of the Small Business subcommittee, I worked to address issues facing small businesses. My service on the CAP also helped me better understand regional issues, and the role local communities can play in guiding resolution of those issues.
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The duties of a city council fall into four general areas, all of which are important and essential to one another. Again, I believe in balance, and recognize that focusing too much on one area can affect the balance of fundamental elements within the city. The four areas - al with equal importance - are:
Policy guidance for city planning, projects and operations: It is critical to establish a vision and goals for the City to follow and implement. Without this high level planning, the City will not have an overall direction for growth and progress - a plan for its future. Community goals identify components of the community vision and provide direction for implementation. Public policy determines what services will be provided to the residents and the level of those services, what kinds of development will ocur in the City, what the City's future will be. This process of assessing need and establishing priorities is a key function of local government. It is a process that can be used to build citizen support, encourage efficiency, and improve productivity. Policy-making is about visions, goals, choices and possibilities. Alignment of vision and goals with the community builds trust and community confidence;limited resources go further where there is this alignment and trust.
Fiscal management, including setting the budget, approving fees and taxes, and directing funding: Clearly, without careful fiscal management, the City will have no way to fund its goals and visions, and to provide citizens with the services they value. Fiscal management addresses the allocation of scarce financial resources to achieve the community's vision, accomplish goals and objectives, implement the comprehensive plan, and provide services. The budget can be one of the strongest policy-making tools. It defines the spending and serive priorities for numerous other policy decisions. There is rarely enough money to do all the things that the community desires. Thus, budgets and capital facilities plans must prioritize.
Formulating and enacting legislation: It is important to create good, fair laws that are easy to understand and implement. It is essential that laws be flexible so that they can withstand the ever-changing nature and needs of the city and its citizens. Lawmakers must take into consideration the potential impact of laws to prevent unanticipated consequences.
Representing constituent concerns and interests, and seeking ways to resolve community problems and issues: City council members are elected to represent their constituents. We must be accessible and responsive to our citizens, in a manner that best serves the community. Legitimate community interests have multiple and often conflicting goals. We must find ways to bring our community together over issues, not divide them. This is the essence of the policy-making challenge.
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EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY
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.
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Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., 1983; Univ. of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 1986; Intern, Wis. Ct. of Appeals, 1984-85 |
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.
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Bellevue Planning Commissioner, dealing with City planning, land use issues; Municipal attorney, representing local cities with similar issues; Overlake Hospital Foundation, Trustee, strategic planning, governance, fundraising; Advance Bellevue, Class of 2003; Elected as Freeholder in 2003 Bellevue Charter election; Washington State Bar Association Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Past Board Member; Women Business Owners Past Board Member; Citizen Advocacy Panel, IRS PNW, Past Member and Vice Chair |
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.
Candidate Evaluation Coordinator: Rebecca Cooper
Seattle, WA 98104-1614 Fax: 425-671-0506 Website: www.munileague.org