By Haley McNealey
Edited by Katy Tomasulo

Posted 5.12.15

Elections will be held in November for four current Concrete Town Council positions expiring Dec. 31. Position 3, held by councilmember Mike Bartel, and the position of mayor do not expire until Dec. 31, 2017. Concrete Herald checked in with the four council members whose positions are expiring to determine their interest in running again and the issues they would like the town to pursue.

Jack Mears (Position 1) reports he will not run again, retiring from his position after about 13 years. “I have put in too much time and I am not seeing results I like,” he said. “The town is spending too much money on thrills and not spending enough on things that need fixing, like roads, waterlines, and sewer lines.” Mears will continue living at the airport and being active within the community.

Dave Pfeiffer (Position 2) will run for office again. “I am fiscally conservative and will continue to work on controlling town spending,” he said. When asked what he believes the greatest challenge the town is facing, he responded, “Finances. The tax base is small, but we have the same costs as other towns. We rely almost entirely on grants.”

In the next four years, Pfeiffer said he would like to see the spray park and transit center constructed, and more work with the Upper Skagit Library. As a liaison between the library board and council, Pfeiffer has worked closely with the library in the past. “Recently, I have worked with cheapessaywritingservices.org the library board to make the transition to the new construction as smooth as possible,” he stated, adding, “I encourage more people to become involved by participating in council meetings. The council likes to hear from constituents.”

Marla Reed (Position 4) also will run for office again. When asked why she is running again, she stated, “I enjoy it. I still have plenty to offer and I have goals in mind, especially regarding the parks. I don’t think I’m done yet.”

Reed believes the town’s greatest challenge at this time is the streets. In the next four years, she would like to see an increase in family-friendly ventures; some examples of possible projects include a spray park, improvements to Silo Park, a zip line, and a miniature golf course. “The Parks Committee is moving forward with improvements and activities for families and visitors,” she said.

Ginger Kyritsis plans to run for office again too. “One of the greatest challenges the town is facing right now is paying down the bill we owe for the wastewater treatment plant so citizens can have a deduction in their sewage bill,” she said. “Another challenge is getting more people involved in what’s going on in Concrete, in their own backyards.”

In the next four years, Kyritsis has high hopes for the water park and is interested in the new library and the park and ride. She also would like to see more small businesses emerge in Concrete. When asked what her contribution will be if reelected, she stated, “I will continue to represent the people who approach me with ideas. We gather in small groups to discuss ideas, and then I present their ideas to the council. The council gives me a thumbs-up or thumbs-down and I report back to the people. If the town gives me a thumbs-up, we can move forward with formulating an action plan.”

Kyritsis moved to Concrete about two years ago and stated that it is among her favorite places to live. “Concrete is an amazing town with incredible potential.”

Filing week for all current elected officials and anyone wishing to run for public office in Skagit County is the week of May 11–15. For more information, go to www.skagitcounty.net.

Writer Haley McNealey is a senior at Concrete High School.
Editor Katy Tomasulo lives in Seattle.