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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2020)
Sullivan: Health a top issue Continued from Page 1 Advisory Committee; board liaison, Recreational Lands Planning Advisory Committee; member, Astoria Homelessness Task Force; participant, Lower Columbia Ford Institute Lead- ership Program, which rebuilt the pioneer shelter at Camp Ki- wanilong; attended White Wa- ter Institute leadership training with county, city and business leaders; former member, Asto- ria Budget Committee. Why should people vote for you? I have experience, in- tegrity, and independence and am not beholden to any special interest groups. My commit- ment to staying positive and inclusive rather than being di- visive has guided my campaign. I have good working relation- ships with fellow board mem- bers, the county staff, and our May 1, 2020 T he C olumbia P ress 8 community partners, including other counties. Top three issues: 1. COVID-19 2. Overall community health 3. Broadband How would you approach those three issues? 1. Federal and state funding is essential to a full recovery on a local level. I will continue to fos- ter relationships with business- es, city leaders, nonprofits, and neighboring counties, as well as state and federal partners. The county continues to pro- vide essential services, and county commissioners recently approved additional funding to support services done by com- munity partners like Clatsop Community Action, The Har- bor, and Helping Hands, as well as offering small grants to local businesses as emergency fund- ing during COVID-19. The Public Health Department will continue to track COVID-19, and use what we learn to man- age what is ahead as we wait for a vaccine. We need to be proac- tive in maintaining our health both physically and mentally. I am very proud that Clatsop Be- havioral Health Care now has a mobile crisis team that can help families and work with law en- forcement during times of need. 2. Housing is an ongoing con- cern for Clatsop County. All families need decent and afford- able housing. Employers benefit from employees with available housing. I will continue to work to increase housing options. Supporting the work that CEDR and Clatsop Small Busi- ness Center does to assist local businesses is important, as well as supporting Clatsop Commu- nity College, Tongue Point, and local industry that offer classes, apprenticeships, and intern- ships for career and job devel- opment. 3. Broadband must be im- proved. Not only will access to broadband attract and retain businesses, it also allows us a more even playing field in educa- tion. This pandemic brought the inequities of the digital divide that exists between metro areas and rural counties to everyone’s attention, particularly to par- ents schooling their children at home. There are too many homes and businesses without affordable, reliable internet. I will work to improve broadband access in Clatsop County. Governor issues call to all artists Gov. Kate Brown has is- sued a call for nominations for the 2020 Governor’s Arts Awards. The awards, established in 1977, are given periodically as funding allows. A call for Traditional American Indian storyteller Esther Stutzman, a 2017 recipient. 2020 nominations is posted on the state Arts Commission website, oregonartscommis- sion.org. The awards are a partner- ship between the Office of the Governor and the Arts Com- mission and recognize in- dividuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the arts in Oregon. Awards will be given during a ceremony in September. Nominations must be re- ceived by 5 p.m. May 26. Re- cipients will be notified by July 13 and must be available to participate in a Sept. 12 award ceremony. Bangs: Child care an issue Continued from Page 1 Knappa Community Helping Hands Project (grassroots food and materials support during social isolation); volunteer coach, Lower Columbia Youth Soccer Association; member, Encore Performing Arts Foun- dation (nonprofit group that provides dance scholarships to children); member, Immanuel Community Preschool school board. Why should people vote for you? I am a working mom of three who is directly affect- ed by the issues our county faces. I’m not doing this for a political career; I’m doing this because our community has continued to face many chal- lenges and I have seen little to no movement on them. I am hoping that, by bringing a new voice to the conversation, I can help move the needle on some of the important issues facing our community. Top three issues: 1. Housing 2. Lack of family-wage jobs 3. Child care How would you approach those three issues? 1. Potentially try to relax minimum acreage require- ments in select areas to allow more housing. Look into fees and requirements that hinder new home building. 2. Identify issues that pre- vent businesses from building new sites in rural areas and look to coding, regulations, and infrastructure improve- ments such as broadband availability to see if there are ways that we can incentivize business to move into the area. 3. Look at tax incentives, grants, and a potential change to zoning and land-use regula- tions to make our community more appealing for new busi- ness owners and allow more child care opportunities. Push for a feasibility study on local needs.