The Municipal League of King County

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224

Seattle, WA 98104

 

2005 Board of Trustees

 

Rita Brogan, Chair

Mark Troxel, Vice Chair

Beth M. Arman, Secretary

Harold Taniguchi, Treasurer

 

Putnam Barber, Executive Alliance

Vaughnetta J. Barton, community volunteer

Jill D. Bowman, Stoel Rives

Patricia Bowman, human resources manager (ret.)

Bruce Carter, judge pro tem, Seattle Municipal Court

Kevin Carter, Safeco

Stephanie Cirkovich, Pike Place Market PDA

Peter Coates, Building and Construction Trades Council

Chris Cooper, CHHIP

Paul Demitriades, Medina City Council (ret.)

Sandra Driscoll, City Attorney (ret)

Deborah Eddy, Consultant

Keven Franklin, King County

Mary Gates, Consultant

Norma Jean Hanson, Norma Jean Hanson Paralegal Services

Robert Klein, McNaul, Ebel, Nawrot, and Helgren

Eric Laschever, Stoel Rives

Steve Marshall, Snohomish PUD

Rob Neate, Puget Sound Energy

Jennifer Piccolo, citizen activist

Charles Redell, Reporter

Tami Ritoch, Fireside Homes Real Estate Associate

R. Todd Slind, CH2MHill

Lucy Steers, public participation consultant

Harold Taniguchi, King County Department of Transportation

Rashelle Tanner, CRISTA Ministries

David Tarshes, Davis Wright Tremaine

Kate Tate, Weyerhauser

Philip Thompson, Perkins Coie

Mark Troxel, City of Seattle

Wes Uhlman, Wes Uhlman & Associates

Rich White, Boeing

2005 CANDIDATE BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR NON-JUDICIAL CANDIDATES

 

The Municipal League of King County requests every candidate who participates in the candidate evaluation process to submit background information prior to his/her interview with a candidate evaluation committee.  The questionnaire is the basis of the League’s research and interview process.  The League’s ratings are non-partisan; they are based on standards of Involvement, Effectiveness, Character, and Knowledge, all of which have been developed and refined over the past 90 years.

 

A printed version of the questionnaire is available for candidates who prefer to use the traditional format.  To obtain a hard copy, please contact the League office.  A copy of this questionnaire will be provided to Candidate Evaluation Committee members to help them prepare for your interview.  Candidate responses, except the confidential section, will be available to the general public at the League website. 

 

The Municipal League requests the following materials from candidates.  Please check to make certain you have sent in your:

 

      Candidate Questionnaire

          Sent by:         Email             US Mail          Fax            Not Sending

      Resume (education, employment, and professional activities)

          Sent by:         Email             US Mail          Fax            Not Sending

               Check here if you DO NOT want your resume posted on the Municipal

                   League website

      Campaign Materials

          Sent by:         Email             US Mail          Fax            Not Sending

      Constituent Newsletters and other publications

          Sent by:         Email             US Mail          Fax            Not Sending

      Photograph

          Sent by:         Email             US Mail          Fax            Not Sending

 

Note: Electronically submitted questionnaires are strongly preferred. All materials can be emailed to rebecca@munileague.org.  They can be processed and made available on-line far more rapidly than handwritten or typed submissions.

 

For non-electronic submissions, please print clearly and legibly and return the application as soon as possible in order to allow the committee the greatest amount of time to prepare a complete report on your skills and experience.

 

If you have not yet been contacted to schedule an interview, or if you have questions about the candidate evaluation program, please contact the League office at 206-264-1070.

 

If you have a disability and require accommodation to participate in the candidate evaluation process, please contact Rebecca Cooper at the League office.

2005 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

Christal

Olivia

Wood

 

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

 

Seattle Mayor

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                  Yes              No

 

 

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

 

7 years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

13 years

 

6.   Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan?         Partisan      Nonpartisan         

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:  N/A

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

 

Campaign Name:

 

Christal Wood for Mayor

 

Address:

 

P.O. Box 95535

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Seattle, WA  98145-2535

 

Campaign Phone:

 

(206) 222-7522

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

N/A

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

cw4mayor@yahoo.com

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

www.christalwoodformayor.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)

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

 

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

 

Office Title

Year of Run

Seattle Mayor

 

2001

 

Seattle City Council, Position 7

 

2003

 

     

 

     

 


 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 a citizen utilizing the political system to it's utmost in order to create positive change in my community.  My reasons for choosing the office of Mayor are two-fold: a) I am alarmed at the direction in which the current mayor has driven our city; and b) I believe that I possess the skills, vision and character to serve the city well as its Mayor.

 

My work history, my scholarship, and experiences as an activist on behalf of several causes--both local and global, have led me on a path toward politics and law.  My regard for this city and its people runs deep. 

 

Should I win, I will introduce a new way of doing things at City Hall, that affords more inclusion to all citizen voices; one that will bring more honesty to discussions of public projects; one that focuses on neighborhoods, and new models in housing and policing. 

 

Short of winning, a candidate for office has the ability to bring issues to the forefront of public dialog, and to challenge those in office on their ideas.  If I can do that, I will have viewed this candidacy as a success.

 


 

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

 

I am a person of diverse heritage, which allows me more openness and understanding of cultural dynamics.  I am a person of high intelligence and the ability to understand sophisticated concepts.  I am a person who has worked a variety of positions, and circumstances, which gives me an informed view of human services, the working class and the economy.  Being a single parent, I understand the struggle many families face in Seattle in the area of housing and eduction.  I am creative, open-minded and compassionate, which allows me to relate to people of many backgrounds.  I am very passionate about social justice which will drive and fortify my actions in public service.

 

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. 

 

I am proud of the fact that I have successfully parented a child into teenage in this society, because it has not been easy, though it has made me wise. 

 

I am proud of my work with the Museum of Flight as an educator and as a Design Team Leader.  As a non-aviator, I led a group of seasoned pilots and engineers in creating a 45 minute interactive, computer-based experience in flight dynamics suitable for children in early grades to high school.  It is one of 10 stations currently part of the Museum's Aviation Learning Center, teaching a new generation the wonders of flight science.

 

I am proud of my previous campaigns, serving as my own treasurer, and often my own campaign manager.  These city-wide campaigns presented new and formidable challenges.  There are strict guidelines and reporting requirements, and extreme demands on one's time and personal stamina.  One must related through many media, and face very high pressure situations and provide the public with real answers to real problems.  Both campaigns came in "in the black" and resulted in a fair amount of publicity for both the campaigns and the issues and solutions that they promoted.


 

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.

 

I have made my living in non-profits and the human services for much of my adult life, working for the American Heart Association, the United Way of King County, The Green River Foundation, Museum of Flight, West Seattle Psychiatric Hospital/Highline West Seattle Mental Health Center, and now Lutheran Community Services

 

I served as a volunteer at events sponsored by my workplaces (Dance for Heart, 1990; Day of Caring, 1994,1995,1996, 1997; etc) on projects ranging from house painting, to speaking to schools on and career centers on diversity and work topics.

 

I've been an activist as part of demonstrations, marches and direct actions on behalf of community groups opposing police brutality, economic disparity, environmental racism, WTO, unfair housing demolition, and war.

 

I've been affiliated with Sound Non-Violent Opponents to war, Seattle Peace Chorus 2002-2003; Seattle Displacement Coalition (2001-present); Save the Lillian Coalition (2002); Member/Former member of Ecocascade Board of Directors (2004-5); Seattle School Board Nutrition Advisory Committee (2004); Progressive Party of WA (2003-present); Executive Director of Gotham City Communications (a public interest media group) 2002-present.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Mayor heads the Executive Department; the President of the City Council, the Legislative Department; the Librarian, the Library Department, and the members of the commissions or boards created by the City Charter.  The Mayor has the power to appoint officials in various city boards and commissions. He or she has veto power in legislation passed by the City Council, but the Council may ultimately override a veto.  Although the Mayor may exert influence on the Seattle Public Schools School Board, the School Board is an independent entity. The Mayor presents a city budget for council approval.

 

I view the crafting of the budget and veto power as being the most important duties.  The livelihood of many services and maintenance projects hinge on how the budget is allocated, and providing a balance and counterbalance to council activity is a key function.


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.A., Communications/Society & Justice, Univ. of Washington (2000); A.A., Liberal Arts, Green River Comm. College (1998)

 

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.

 

Community volunteer and activist as part of demonstrations, marches and direct actions opposing police brutality, racial and gender disparity, environmental racism, WTO, unfair housing demolition, and war.  Exec. Director of Gotham City Communications (2002-present); present or past affiliations with Seattle Peace Chorus, Seattle Displacement Coalition, King County Young Democrats, Seattle School Board Nutrition Advisory Committee, Green Party of Seattle; Progressive Party of WA, and EcoCascade.

 

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: 206-264-1070                Email: rebecca@munileague.org

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