Steve Fields responds to "Washington Conservation Voters" Questionnaire

Steve Fields responds to Washington Conservation Voters

2017 Municipal Candidate Questionnaire:

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Steve Fields:  Please describe what motivates you to run for public office and what or who inspires you?

Throughout both my personal and professional life I have been active in environmental protection, conservation, and sustainability.I am motivated to run for public office by a deep passion to ensure the well-being and sustainability of human life and existence. The most dramatic and important inspiration I received was from my then 6-year-old son, who is now 19. At that time, he was crying in the middle of the night and concerned about polar bears drowning and “his planet burning up and why was no one doing anything about it”. It was at this time I left a corporate position to work in local Government. I am also inspired by sincere and involved people from all over the world who address the issues of protecting our planet and work to create environmental quality along with quality of life. Conversely, I am also inspired by organizations who work against the interests of our environmental sustainability and work to expose or mitigate actions and perspectives that promote environmental damage and create an uncertain future. On a personal level,  I have lead a lifestyle since I was a child that focused on reducing my impact on our environment. I grew up in a home where my parents insisted that we to turn off lights and electrical items when not in use. Recycling was a major part of our lives and when plastic and disposable containers become popular my family minimized there use. I have commuted by bicycle throughout my 40-year professional career. I have supported the Sierra Club, was active in Greenpeace in the 1980s and have purchased numerous Robert Bateman art that supported environmental causes (“Spotted Owls Continuation Generations” for example)

On a professional level, I have worked throughout my career on environmental protection. Examples and Highlights include;

LETTER: Election Fallout: NAMI Eastside facing smear campaign

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, NAMI Eastside does not endorse any political candidate. Currently in the 45th district election, Mental Health advocate and long-time Board Member, former Co-President, President and current Vice President of NAMI Eastside, Manka Dhingra is running for the open Senate seat.  It was recently brought to our attention that political ads being sponsored by Working Families PAC and the Washington State Senate Republican PAC listed as the Leadership Council have been calling into question NAMI Eastside’s financial stability. These claims are unfounded. NAMI Eastside staff, Board of Directors and members take the stewardship of our organization very seriously.  The negative ads suggesting that NAMI Eastside “ran up large deficits and filed questionable financial reports” for three years, that is both completely false and very damaging to our reputation.  All of the crucial and essential services that we provide are free and fulfill a need that is sorely lacking in our State.

Planning Commissioner Roy Captain asks for your vote, Council Position 6

Roy Captain (photo, Facebook) 

You, your family, your friends

Redmond is the sum of its people. Wonderful people, like you, who chose to come here from down the street or across the world. Regardless of where we came from – we likely want the same things. We want a safe place for our friends and families to live, learn and flourish. We want an inclusive society that cares for all of its citizens – every color, all religions, varied income levels, those with homes and those in need of shelter. We want to protect our own while welcoming newcomers. We are so unique already and we have an opportunity to set an example for our region, our state, and our country. To do so, we need tight connections between our local government and our communities. It’s not just about reading reports. I walk this town daily, I talk to everyone (ask my wife…literally everyone!), I listen, I learn, I understand, I help. On the Redmond City Council, I will create supporting policies and effective infrastructure. I will work tirelessly to create the change, to underpin the values of our town. Redmond is a city with heart. Let’s keep it that way.

Your car

Yes, your car. Chances are you’re spending more time in it as traffic throughout the region increases.

Jason Antonelli vies Dr. Jeralee Anderson and Commissioner Roy Captain for Council Position 6

"My two little favorite supporters"  - Jason

Hello, I’m Jason and I am running for Redmond City Council Position #6
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I am the proud husband of Denice and father of Ava and Dylan. I have called Redmond home for more than 20 years and currently reside in the Education Hill neighborhood. Our daughter Ava will be starting at Norman Rockwell in September and our son Dylan is attending Montessori Children’s House in Redmond. My wife, Denice, is a local small business owner.

I came to Redmond out of college at the University of California at San Diego and have been a long-time Software Engineer at Microsoft.

My goal in running for City Council is to represent our shared concerns about traffic congestion, public safety, and community cohesiveness.

Dr. Jeralee Anderson runs for City Council Position 6

Jeralee Anderson

As an experienced non-profit executive, civil engineer, and startup founder, I have dedicated my career to public service and sustainable development.

I am committed to creating policies and making decisions that promote a safe, prosperous, and resilient Redmond for residents, families, businesses, and future generations.

I am a passionate advocate for healthy, equitable communities, and environmental conservation. I will be a voice on the Council representing Redmond’s diverse businesses, startup culture, women’s issues, and STEM education.

I will apply my problem-solving skills and engineering creativity to future-proof Redmond’s infrastructure projects. I will make sure your tax dollars are invested in projects that enhance quality of life and do right by the environment. Together, we will make Redmond’s streets smarter, safer, and better connected for pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and for all ages and abilities.

I would be honored to serve as your Councilwoman. Thank you for your vote.  Endorsed by 48th and 45th District Democrats. 

Source:   Website  www.jeraleeanderson.com

"Meet the Candidates" forum

 "Meet the Candidates" forum, was sponsored by the "Education Hill Neighborhood Association" and organized by Paige Norman.  City council and LWSD candidates participated.  Paige has set up 3 new "Meet the Candidates" forum events for August, September and October. These forums will be for candidates in the General Election -- those that made it through the Primary process.

Thank you Paige Norman!

Osama Hamdan, Position 2, Representing a Diverse Redmond on Five Key Issues is Endorsed Steve Fields

Osama Hamdan

Coming to the US as a refugee with my 
parents at the age of 7, I have had all the opportunities of the American dream. My father always instilled in his children that hard work is the way we can achieve that dream. He started his first job as a janitor in a hospital outside Detroit, eventually getting a job on the Ford assembly line and ultimately opening his own business. His goal was to provide for his family which led to my college education and me joining Microsoft more than 20 years ago. 

I moved to Redmond because I believed it would provide the best experience for my family. My oldest boys have grown up playing baseball on the RedWest Little League and now are both on the Redmond High School Mustangs Football team. My daughter plays on the Redmond Girl Select Basketball team. These experiences have helped my kids build a strong sense of community. They are not just players on a team, but are part of a team that cares for each other. These are the same experiences I want for all our residents. 

Throughout my life I have built a passion for identifying and solving problems. From when I worked for my father in his business to building and running strong teams at Microsoft. I pride myself on understanding the issues from different perspectives and coming up with solid long-term solutions.

Today, Redmond is a great place to live, but we can’t take it for granted. We are at a key turning point and how we manage through the challenges we face will define the Redmond of the future. Traffic and other pressures are only getting worse and we need to do better at solving those problems. Redmond is the kind of community my father dreamed about when he came to America. It has opportunity for everyone and offers a lifestyle where we can raise our families and enjoy our community. Those are the values we all share in Redmond, and with my background and experience, I will work to build a community that lives up to those values.  

ISSUES:  

Fiscal Responsibility:  We need to prioritize spending based on projects that our residents find value and improve our quality of life. 

Byron Shutz, Position 2, A passionate community leader

Why run for City Council

     Family photo by RHS Sr. Owen Leslie

Community Service

Years of hands-on community service led me to Council where I work the regional issues of housing affordability, human services, and public education. Leadership on local boards and regional advisory committees strengthen Redmond’s public-private partnerships, community services, and schools. My volunteer leadership in PTAs, schools foundation, Kiwanis, and non-profits continues to sustain our District’s high quality education - distinguished schools retain employers and ensure continuity to our neighborhoods and economy. 

Thank you for electing me to Council to serve our city the last 4 years - it's a privilege to serve on the range of regional committees coordinating the City and King County collaborations - I am genuinely humbled and appreciative of the opportunity to continue to help make Redmond the unique home and business center it is for all of us.

Byron's City of Redmond Council Candidate Video

Steve Fields, Position 2, "Build Community, not Just Buildings"

Promote a Smart and Sharing City

Steve Fields

Our quality of life is good, but as we’ve grown, we’ve been steadily losing ground. Residents have been regularly asked to dig a little deeper to help pay for new parks and new amenities to keep up, but we continuously fall further and further behind while growth happens and developers determine what the look and feel of Redmond is going to be. We should not be a city in retreat. We must turn that around immediately! Our success as a city brings great benefits, also, great challenges. As a former Redmond official said to me recently, “Redmond’s focus over the past five years has been on quantity not quality. The massive downtown buildings lack a creative, innovative architecture design. Getting around Redmond in any mode is stressful. Our open spaces have disappeared.”

We can choose to be smarter and do a better job of managing our growth. This begins with reevaluating how we make our decisions and improve our current approaches and methods to be more inclusive and more comprehensive. Our best city planning resources are the people who live and work in Redmond. If elected, I will be an advocate for community involvement in determining what our city will look like and what amenities we will insist on.

Redmond City Council Candidates Primary Profiles

The Primary Election  of Tuesday, August 1st is over.

This video was deleted by the city.  Steve Fields, Jason Antonelli and Jeralee Anderson, and Byron Shutz advance to the General Election.

City of Redmond, Council Position 2

Osama Hamdan   

Byron Shutz

Steve Fields

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City of Redmond, Council Position 6

• Jeralee Anderson
• Jason Antonelli
• Roy Captain

This link summarizes the candidate websites & facebook pages --a quick guide to help you vote! 

Meet the candidates!

MEET THE CANDIDATES - A FORUM
Thursday, July 6th, 6:30 – 7:00 pm
First Baptist Church of Redmond 16700 NE 95th Street, Education Hill, Redmond

Council Candidates for Positions 2 and 6 are up for election in the August 1 Primary   VOTE!

The following candidates have been invited:

Steve Fields City of Redmond, Council Position 2  sjf13@comcast.net
Osama Hamdan City of Redmond, Council Position 2   Osamahamdan@msn.com
Byron Shutz City of Redmond, Council Position 2   Byron@ShutzForCouncil.com

Jeralee Anderson City of Redmond, Council Position 6  contact@jeraleeanderson.com
Jason Antonelli City of Redmond, Council Position 6  jason@jasonforredmond.com
Roy Captain City of Redmond, Council Position 6   e-mail not published on King County site

Tanika Padhye City of Redmond, Council Position 4

Eugene Zakhareyev City of Redmond, Council Position 4

Mark Stuart (LWSD School Board Dist. 4)

Anita Damjanovic (LWSD School Board Dist. 3)
Cassandra Sage (LWSD School Board Dist. 3)

Timothy McLaughlin  EvergreenHealth (King County Hospital Dist. 2)

Paige Norman,

Education Hill Neighborhood Association (EdHNA)
Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/groups/EdHillNeighborhood/
edhillna@outlook.com

Please RSVP

Cassandra Sage announces her run for LWSD Director 3.

Cassandra Sage

I'm running for school board, LWSD Director 3. Nancy Bernard is retiring. This is my 22nd year in the district as a parent volunteer, PTA member and occasional para professional sub. (In other words, I'm the OLD mom now!).

At the school board meeting last night they adopted a new math curriculum for Algebra I, II and Geometry. It looks like it has online supports/videos. I'm looking forward to exploring it. Since my stepson is in a Transition room and will be heading to Juanita High in the fall, and my next oldest son is enrolling in Running Start (due to medical issues) I felt this was a good time to get further involved to improve outcomes for ALL students. Special Education, Vocational Education, College Prep.... all are important paths!

Cassandra Sage

Sage For Schools

Cassandra is endorsed by School Board Director Nancy Bernard. Other endorsements.  

UPDATED, 3/4 Podcast of 13 candidates interviewing for Council Position #4 is enlightening

UPDATE:  10/2/17  Tanika Padyea was appointed to Council.  Ms. Rodriguez  was a runner-up and was appointed to the Planning Commission,  Roy Captain was a runner-up and lost in the Primary to Fields and Schutz, Sherri Nichols interviewed for the open seat but didn't make the finals.



Thirteen candidates were interviewed by City Council for Position #4 last Saturday.  The position was vacated owing to Ms. Kim Allen's retirement on January 31st, 2017.  Council now has to appoint a replacement.  These are screening interviews to pick finalists.  The interviewing took place at City Hall, during a Special Meeting that was open to the public. For objectivity and under City Clerk guidance, the order of interviews and question topics were randomly selected.  President Hank Margeson did a masterful job developing this selection process.

In my opinion, in order of  interviews, Amy Mayes (1:23) Stephanie Rodriguez (1:38)  Tracy Sullivan Prock and A.J. Taylor could be the finalist picks.  The woman candidates are favored owing to a serious gender imbalance.

Ms. Rodriguez is a strong contender and I'm guessing she'll be "the chosen one." Stephanie appeared to get the most interview time. She's smart (Mr. Stilin's requirement.)  She's a Harvard graduate (2001) in history and economics with a law degree from Seattle University. IMO, her only apparent weakness is a dearth of passion for the environment.  She's pro-growth..

Stephanie's a step-mom with two boys that play basketball.  One of her boys graduated from Redmond High.  She was born at Overlake Hospital but spent most of her childhood in the Caribbean.

Her work at Microsoft "blends finance with marketing"and she has a worldly perspective from work in international investor relations. She's "worked on a multi-million dollar budget" at Microsoft...so is budget ready. I especially like she considers "conflict" as healthy; perhaps Council would have more deliberation on the Dias.  Her focus is "thinking beyond."  Though long range planning appears her interest and strength this may distract her from attention to the neighborhoods.

It's important to note that with this podcast Mr. Mayor can listen in to all the interviews putting him in a position to advise Council before their final interviews.  I don't see a thing wrong with this since he has to work and get-along with the appointment.  

Bob, opinion

My earlier interview report