For the past six and a half years, I have served on the board of OPAL Community Land Trust, the organization for which Lisa Byers has been executive director for 17 years. Based on those years of working with Lisa, I enthusiastically urge you to vote for her for county council.  Frankly, we will miss her at OPAL, but she is so remarkably good that the whole county deserves her.  Here are my reasons:

First, Lisa is – hands down – the most competent person I have ever worked with or for.  She is thorough, works quickly but accurately, and has a gift for numbers (including budgets) and for making complex issues clear.  She is always thoroughly prepared for any meeting, always comes ready to provide more background information should it be needed, and follows up with all decisions or questions immediately and completely. She is also remarkably creative in finding novel solutions to complex problems. If this sounds like an impossibly positive set of qualities, I can only assure you that this written description is less impressive than the actuality.

Second, Lisa is a terrific listener.  If you disagree with her, she doesn’t get defensive or insist on her own position; she hears you out, searches for points of agreement, asks good questions, and finds a way to reach consensus.

Third, Lisa Byers has a deep and enduring commitment to the health of our community. As evidence of that commitment, she has participated in – and often chaired – innumerable committees and forums on Orcas and throughout the county.  She understands the county’s strengths and weaknesses, and because of her broad involvement, she has a wide network of county residents on whom she can call for answers to questions or for assistance.

San Juan County has a full array of tough problems to be solved.  Lisa Byers is, above all, a supremely good problem solver.  She will be a wonderful county councii person.

Helen Bee

Orcas Island