Naysayers Turn Into Supporters For Josh Brown’s Reelection Bid
Brynn Grimley writes:
Facing the start of his final year as County Commissioner, Josh Brown has decided to give it a go for another four years.
The 28-year-old, (soon to be 29) was sworn into office at 25 years old amidst skepticism and doubt that he would be capable of running a county with roughly 250,000 residents and an overall budget of around $300 million.
When Brown took office Jan. 1, 2007 he became the youngest commissioner to hold the post. He also was the youngest elected official to sit on the various regional boards and commissions that come with the job.
Now Brown is the senior county commissioner (Commissioner Charlotte Garrido does have a prior stint under her belt), and as of Jan. 1, 2010 he will be the senior elected official sitting on regional boards like the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council.
Other elected officials making up those boards were elected after Brown took office.
But as the new kid on the block three years ago, Brown faced a lot of criticism.
Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola was one critic who didn’t sugarcoat his opinion in various blog posts on his personal Web site.
He has since changed his tune.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that I didn’t support Josh when he ran for office the first time,” Coppola said. “I have to say after working with him over the last two years, I have become a supporter.”
At the time of Brown’s election Coppola was not yet mayor, but as an outspoken business leader he shared his opinions about Brown’s run for office — most of them negative — on his blog. (Anyone interested in specifics can refer to the 2006 archive on Coppola’s blog).
Now after seeing Brown in a leadership role, Coppola admits: “He’s much smarter than I gave him credit for.”
“In the areas where I have worked with him, he has proven himself,” he said. “I was skeptical of his abilities because of his young age and his lack of experience in an elected office.
“I’m impressed with is ability to take on challenges and his knowledge,” Coppola said. “He will have my full support,” in his bid for reelection.
Long-time Silverdale resident and business owner Ron Ross was also skeptical at first.
In fact, Ross’s son Robert Ross filed a lawsuit against Brown just before he officially took office, questioning his residency. (A judge ultimately ruled in favor of Brown after a trial in February 2007).
Reflecting on commissioners that have held the post since the 1950s, Ron Ross believes Brown has “been one of the best commissioners we’ve had in years and years.”
“He’s really, for his young age — forget his age. He’s been exceptionally good,” Ross said.
Ross initially couldn’t fathom how a 25-year-old could lead the county.
While there are still areas where he believes county government as a whole can improve, Brown has easily proven himself as the best person for the job in Central Kitsap, Ross said.
“I don’t know who is going to run against him,” he said, “but he would be hard to beat.”
And what about that lawsuit? While he said his son Robert still wonders about the residency status, he doesn’t have any major complaints about Brown since taking office.
“I think my boy feels like Josh is a good commissioner,” he said. “Josh has not offended my boy with any decisions he made and I talk to him every day.”
Ross and his wife Nadean have also supported Brown’s efforts in Central Kitsap through a donation of $1 million to the Silverdale Haselwood Family YMCA.
Brown initiated the partnership between the county and the YMCA group to build the facility at the proposed community campus in Silverdale.
It’s that collaboration, between the county and its citizens that Brown hopes to continue to build if reelected, he said.
“The next four years we’re going to see a lot of changes in our county,” he said. “The role of the county is going to continue to change. We need to find ways to communicate better with the public about what’s happening.”
Carl Johnson, a longtime civic volunteer, said he supports Brown’s run for reelection because of the job he has done since taking office.
Johnson ran for the position of Central Kitsap Commissioner as the Republican candidate in 1994 against Democrat Phil Best and again in 1998 against Democrat Tim Botkin.
“I think despite his youth, he’s demonstrated a particularly remarkable commitment and ability to work within the county government and work with the players that he has to work with,” Johnson said. “I think he has demonstrated a very non-partisan approach to decision making.”
Proving himself to naysayers and gaining support across the political aisle are just some of the ways Brown has tried to close the partisan gap while in office, he said.
“I like the challenges,” Brown said. “For folks that maybe thought I didn’t have the experience or the ability, I knew in my heart that I did. And I’m a really hard worker.”
Brown’s election Web site is: www.electjoshbrown.com


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