Voters to pick commissioners in 2 dike districts in election

Jan. 30--Special elections on Tuesday will see votes cast for candidates of the county's dike and drainage districts, with two positions contested.

Dike District 5 is located west of Edison and north of Bay View along the Samish River. It has about 50 landowners, said county Elections Supervisor David Cunningham.

Dike District 12 is the biggest in Skagit County, with 5,000 to 6,000 landowners, Cunningham said. District 12 has faced controversy in recent years, causing former Commissioner Chuck Bennett to resign in September 2011 following a state Auditor's Office report that showed commissioners authorized more than $100,000 to a worker for jobs she never did.

The district's proposed levee project in Burlington has faced concern from east county residents, who say raising levees downstream will worsen flooding upriver. The project could raise Burlington's levees by as much as 4 feet in some places along the Skagit River.

Dike and drainage elections can take place on every evennumbered year, said county Elections Supervisor David Cunningham, and always take place on the first Monday in February. The elections are unique in that each landowner in each district receives two ballots to vote.

Landowners need not live within the district, but must be registered within the state of Washington. Renters who live within the district do not get a vote.

Cunningham said a 20 percent turnout for the races would be high; 5 to 10 percent is more likely.

District 12, Pos. 2

Eddie Tjeerdsma, 57

Occupation: Manager at Hansell Mitzel Homes, volunteer assistant fire chief with Burlington Fire Department

Incumbent Eddie Tjeerdsma took over Chuck Bennett's term when he resigned. Tjeerdsma served for three months, then ran unopposed in an election to finish out the rest of the term.

He said being a district commissioner fits well with his experience with construction and management. He said he also has experience helping with every flood effort since 1975.

Since taking office, he has implemented a program to track district costs. The district was able to reduce property tax rates as a result of tracking the costs, and he said he hopes it will drop even more.

He is proud of the clean audit reports the district has received since he took office.

Tjeerdsma wants to get all District 12 dikes federally certified, meaning flood insurance would be eliminated in the district. For that to happen, the levees need to be raised, he said.

He said the district has evidence that raising the dikes would not hurt the upriver communities. But he said concerns raised by the residents of Sedro-Woolley and Clear Lake are valuable, and he thinks the county needs to communicate better with the public and put out more information.

Gerald "J.J." Vervaart, 29 Occupation: Mechanic with city of Burlington street department, former volunteer firefighter Vervaart said he has lived next to the dike district his whole life and is fascinated with the Skagit River. As a young boy, he rode around with his dad, a volunteer firefighter, and used to patrol with him during floods. He believes accountability is the district's biggest issue. He said he would be a good candidate because of his past as a volunteer firefighter with McLean Road Fire Department and his job with the city. "My biggest goal is to make sure that public funds go for public needs," he said. He said the levees need to be raised.

Jim Drake, 79 Occupation: Semi-retired, owner of Drake Sweeping Drake said he has always been interested in the diking situation, and now has the opportunity to give back to his community.

He said he wants to represent taxpayers and make sure their money is spent properly.

"I just want to look after the taxpayers money like it's my own money," he said.

He said he believes the district commissioners are doing a good job, and he wants to add his abilities and improve on the process.

"I will spend the time and find out what needs to be done and make the very best decisions I can for the community and the voters," he said.

He said he is withholding his opinion on raising levees until after he gets all the information he can.

District 5, Pos. 2

Ryan Nelson, 40

Occupation: Farmer at Norm Nelson Inc.

Ryan Nelson said his family's farm covers quite a bit of area in District 5, and he wants to be more involved in the community. He has a vested stake in the ground, he said, and wants to work to improve drainage in the district.

The family farm has been in the area for about 20 years, he said.

Richard Sullivan, 60

Occupation: Farmer within the district

Incumbent Richard Sullivan has served two terms as a district commissioner and previously worked with his father and uncle when they served as commissioners.

As a commissioner, he said he has worked on getting pipes lined and pumps improved.

He said he wants to work on raising the dikes and bolstering them with rocks.

Reporter Rachel Lerman: 360-416-2145, rlerman@skagitpublish ing.com, Twitter: @Rachel_SVH, Facebook.com/RachelReports

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