I am writing to urge my fellow islanders to vote for Rick Hughes for Council Position No. 2. Rick is an example of that very rarest of things today – a public servant and office holder who is pragmatic and not controlled by partisanship.

Rick and I have talked about politics and local government since before he ran for the council, and although we probably come from different political directions on many topics, I find that we always find common ground and each learns something from the discussion. I believe that willingness to find common ground and pragmatic solutions carries over into his work on the council, and serves our communities and our county well.

Rick brings sound business skills to the job and knows that seemingly small things matter. The recent refinancing of county debt, led by staff and supported by this council, will save residents $1.28 million over the life of those bonds. Rick has also shown great skill at working on projects which require bringing together many decision makers and stakeholders, such as his negotiations with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Canadian government, the state Dept. of Transportation, the Town and Port, and many others to allow direct flights between Canada and Friday Harbor.

In an era when most election campaigns are about a narrow set of issues and candidates focused on agendas that will attract “their” voters, it is rare and thus precious to be able to vote for someone who thinks and listens before deciding, who knows that the details matter, that lasting solutions require bringing together everyone who has a stake in the outcome.

This is what I have seen in Rick Hughes, and I urge you to vote to re-elect him to our County Council.

Mark Madsen

San Juan Island