The Municipal League of King County

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224

Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 264-1070 cec@munileague.org

2007 Board of Trustees

Bruce Carter, Chair
Judge Pro Tem, Seattle Municipal Court

Robert Klein, Vice-Chair
Short Cressman & Burgess PLLC

Norma Jean Hanson, Secretary
Norma Jean Hanson Paralegal Services

Sandra Driscoll, Treasurer
City Attorney (ret.)

 

Angela Avery, Community Volunteer

Dan Berger, Municipal Attorney

Jill D. Bowman, Stoel Rives LLP

Bill Breitenstein, Financial Executive (ret.)

David Brentlinger, Weyerhaeuser Realty Investors

Steve Call, Cascade Water Alliance

Mary Gates, Consultant

Albert Israel, Mass Mutual Financial Group

Rachel Jackson, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Chris Johnson, Office of the Attorney General, WA State

Mark Koenig, Consultant

Rick Lewis, Intel

Steve Marshall

Eric B. Martin, Davis Wright Tremaine

Bradley Meacham, Microsoft

Dan McDonald, MWH Americas

Kristen Peterson, Washington State Hospital Association

Kathy Putt, Comcast

Ramsey Ramerman, Foster Pepper

R. Todd Slind, CH2MHill

Will Smith, T-Mobile

John Spady, Dick’s Drive-In

Lucy Steers

Gary Strannigan, Safeco

Harold Taniguchi, King County Department of Transportation

Michael Teter, Perkins Coie, LLP

Wes Uhlman, Wes Uhlman & Associates

Jason Van Nort, Puget Sound Energy

Jen Watkins

Rodney G. Wendt, Koegen Edwards LLP

Rich White, Boeing

Nick Williamson, Encrypted Key Technologies

 

2007 CANDIDATE 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 cec@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.

We request that you return the Candidate Questionnaire

by June 22, 2007

 

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 the CEC Coordinator at the League office.

 


2007 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

Terry

G.

Persson

 

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

 

Renton City Council Position #4

 

3.   Are you the incumbent?                  Yes              No

 

 

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

 

62 years

 

5.   How long have you resided in King County?

 

62 years

 

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

                                                                                                                       

7.   If partisan, please indicate party:       

 

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

 

 

Campaign Name:

 

Friends for Terry Persson

 

Address:

 

2821 N.E. 8th

 

City/State/Zip:

 

Renton, Washington 98056

 

Campaign Phone:

 

425-228-5848

 

 

Campaign Fax:

 

     

 

 

Campaign E-mail:

 

tpersson@comcast.net

 

 

Campaign Website:

 

www.electterry2007.com

 

 

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

Renton City Council

 

1999

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 


 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:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 have been a long time volunteer in the community and have developed a tremendous understanding of the needs of members of our community. I understand our diverse community.  I have participated in working with city officials in addressing complex problems and developing solutions.  I have the ability to negotiate and resolve conflict.

I am seeking the office of Renton City Council because I am the best representative for members of the community.  I can contribute to the process and will work to include comment from community members.  I strongly believe that participation from members of the community is fundamental to the success of our local government.

 


 

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

 

My  years of volunteering in the community has given me  a true understanding of the diversity that exists within our city.  My open mind and broad understanding enhances my ability to represent all people in my community.  As President of the Highlands Community Association,  I have negotiated complex community safety issues and have developed the ability to mitigate workable solutions. As President of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), I have organized and coordinated educational programs that meet the needs of our seniors and disabled.  Chairing the "Blue Ribbon " Safety Committee and the Citizens Utility Tax Reduction Committee, I understand the issues and concerns facing low income seniors and disabled members of our community.

 

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. 

 

Last year, as Chair of the Citizens Utility Tax Reduction Committee, I lead a team of community leaders who successfully negotiated with the City of Renton to "rebate" back to qualified low income seniors and disabled.  As a result of the Citizens Utility Tax Reduction Committee, low income seniors and disabled will receive a "rebate" check of approximately $110.00 every January.  That amount reflects a portion of their utility tax contribution paid the prior year.  The utility tax on our low income seniors and disabled was burdensome and regressive.  My work on the committee required me to organize and coordiate meeting with the various parties involved.

 

 

Previous, I identified the need for traffic and signage modifications around our elementary and junior high schools in our city.  After years of negotiating with the City of Renton, funding was approved and allocated to this very important issue.

 

Chaired a Neighborhood Citizens group that convince the City Council to increase police budgets to add additional officers in high crime areas is specific community locations.   Additional officers had a huge impact in reducing crime in these targeted areas. 


 

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.

 

Activities:       Construction Contractor for senior and disabled repair (15 years), Renton City Staff Support (30 years), Habitat for Humanity (1 year), apartment owner (30 years), hosted multiple foreign exchange students (2 years), Special Olympics Support (4 years), Christmas toys for disadvantaged children, Holidays gifts and meals for low income families and elderly without partners  (10 years), Highlands Elementary PTA (2 years), Chairman CEC King County Municipal League (1 year), President Renton Highlands Community Association(3 years), President Renton AARP Chapter 414 (2 years), Local Cub Scout Leader and organizer (3 years), Past member Washington State Pilots Association (4 years),. Current Renton Police Department Block Watch Captain (5 years), Kiwanis (new member), Channel 77 producer (2 years).  Supporter of Washington State Council Firefighters Burn Foundation, YWCA Anita Vista House, Asian Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center, Dogs for the blind and special Olympics Charities (1 year).

 

I have retired from the Boeing Company after working there 37 years.  I have been married for 25 years and have two beautiful grand children.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The main responsibility of the council member is to set policy and determine the budget for the following year. The duties of City Council also include chairing one of the council committees (utility, finance, safety, planning and economic development, community services, and transportation).  The office required one to attend the weekly committee of the whole meeting, as well as the city council meetings.  I believe that the most important duty of the office is to be responsive and accountable to the members in our community.  It is essential that council members truly represent the various members of our community.   


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.

 

Attended University of Washington, studied Business but did not earn my degree

Bellevue Community College, Associated Arts Degree in Business

Renton Vocational Technical College, two year certification in Construction Project Management and  technical welding,  Hewlett Packard Corp. (Advanced Systems Certification)

Oracle Corp. (Advanced Relational Database Management Certification)

I.B.M. Corp. (Advanced Mainframe and Code Concepts Management 

 

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.

 

     

 

Finished!

If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (cec@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:  Jason Thibedeau

 

810 Third Avenue, Suite 224                 Phone: (206) 264-1070                      Email: cec@munileague.org

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