Judging by today’s debate among Port Orchard Mayoral candidates,
there’s not much to debate. What did become clear is the difference
in personalities among the three.
Economic development dominated the agenda at the event, hosted at
Le Garmache by the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce. And all three
candidates — Tom Saunders, Kathleen Dolan-Bowes and Lary Coppola —
agreed the city needs leadership and a plan to succeed.
The candidates were each given a chance to introduce themselves and
respond to questions submitted by community members. All answered
the same questions, which they were given in advance. Topics ranged
from parking, to unoccupied buildings to team building, but the
overarching theme was how to juice up the town’s economy.
“I believe our city is at a major crossroads,” said Coppola,
publisher of the Kitsap Business Journal. “We need to have a
proactive economic development plan, and right now, we don’t.”
Coppola said he would aggressively pursue annexation of surrounding
areas and seek grants for new initiatives to spur economic
growth.
Dolan-Bowes, speaking on the local economy, cited advice from
Leavenworth’s Mayor Melvin Wyles, who spoke to the chamber last
month. She said Port Orchard needs to unite behind a clear vision
of its future.
“We can plan, we can plan, we can plan,” she said. “But his message
was, unless we can agree on a development plan, we’re dead in the
water.”
Saunders said, if he were elected mayor, he would encourage pride
of ownership among landlords of downtown buildings.
“Right now there’s not a lot of pride in some of the properties
downtown,” Saunders said, although he noted some building owners
and businesses have worked hard to make their properties look
better.
Saunders said he would look at getting “the highest and best” use
out of buildings.
The candidates were most diverse when they were talking about
themselves and their leadership styles.
“I would lead by example. I certainly can’t act one way and expect
the staff to act another. … I am a decision-maker; that does have
to be said from the get go,” said Dolan Bowes, a retired substance
abuse counselor with a master’s degree in organizational
leadership.
Dolan-Bowes, who grew up in the Bronx, also poked fun at her East
Coast accent, saying, “I don’t do ‘The Sopranos,’ but I can.”
Coppola, seeming self-assured, cited a long list of what he sees as
his qualifications for the job, including 28 years as a local
business owner with “an absolutely unbridled passion about the
future of our city.”
“Finally I believe my long list of bipartisan endorsements speaks
for itself,” said Coppola.
Saunders, a former FEMA manager and 36-year owner of a local
appraisal business, said he’s a good listener, who would maintain
an open-door policy.
“I don’t know if you realize, I’m not much in front of a crowd. I
get a bit nervous” said the mild-mannered Saunders. “But you get me
outside the door, and I come alive.”
