I’m excited to tell you, if you haven’t already heard, there’s a challenger to Republican Ron Wesen, the county commissioner currently representing our District (No. 1). I’m excited not only because Wesen is not unopposed (as was true the last time he ran), but also because the Democratic challenger, Mark Lundsten, is an excellent candidate. He is smart, articulate, hard-working and, importantly, in this day and age, collaborative. He knows how to listen and to take action.

If you are as tired as I am with the court challenges filed and lost by Skagit County and wish to see a more cooperative and collaborative voice, Mark Lundsten is your candidate. Not only does he have experience working on solutions to some gnarly issues, he has an open mind and wants to hear from everyone.

As a politically engaged, working owner of a commercial halibut boat in Alaska for years, he helped develop not only management plans creating Individual Fisherman’s Quotas that enabled an over-harvested fishery to continue but also the technique to avoid bycatch mortality of an endangered seabird. Each took years of work and both plans still continue successfully. The principles of working together to make things work also apply to Skagit County.

Serving on the Skagit County Planning Commission since 2017, he is familiar with pressing County issues. For example:

• Affordable housing: It is increasingly difficult to find affordable housing which makes it harder for people to live here and build community.

• Water issues: As snow-packs shrink and sea levels rise in our changing climate, unresolved water issues require attention or they will only worsen.

And now with the pandemic in our community, recovery will require confidence, creativity and special attention to drug abuse and mental health issues, both important for not only our public health but also our economy.

Mark has inspired me and I hope he will inspire you to support him.

Alix Foster

Pleasant Ridge