San Juan County Planning Commissioner Lovel Pratt has announced her candidacy for San Juan County Council, San Juan South.

Pratt is one of three candidates to announce a candidacy for the San Juan South position. The others are Dan Miller Jr., a landscaper and past candidate for the state Legislature and County Commission; and Chuck Rust, a town firefighter and retired Santa Rosa, Calif., parks and recreation director.

The primary election is Aug. 19. The general election is Nov. 4. Four local positions are on the ballot: County Council, San Juan South; County Council, Friday Harbor; County Council, Orcas West; and Superior Court judge.

For the position representing Friday Harbor, Howie Rosenfeld is running for reelection. Fay Chaffee of the county Community Development and Planning Department is also running for the position.

For the position representing Orcas West, Alan Lichter is running for reelection. Former freeholders Richard Fralick and Mindy Kayl have announced their candidacies.

Council members serve four-year terms. They are paid about $34,000 a year and receive the same benefits package offered to county employees

Pratt has several years of experience working and volunteering in local county government, agriculture, affordable housing and education. She was first appointed to the county Planning Commission in 1999 and was chairwoman for two years. In 2003, The Journal named her Citizen of the Year for her work as executive director of the San Juan Community Home Trust.

“I feel very qualified for this position,” she said in a press release, “and will focus on several areas where I know I can make a difference:

“I am a strong team player and work well in committee and in collective decision-making groups. I look forward to working with all the other members of the County Council towards solutions in the best interests of our community.

“I will work towards a more inclusive public participation process. Decisions should be made with plenty of public participation. We’re a small enough community that this is practical – people with different views and interests can meet face to face and work to arrive at a best possible solution.

“San Juan County faces challenges — such as ferry transportation — that can only be solved with the active cooperation of our State Legislature. I will commit to going to Olympia when the Legislature is in session at least one day a month, regardless of compensation, to work with our legislators on county issues that must be addressed at the state level.”

Lovel moved to San Juan Island in 1991 and lives with her husband, Boyd Pratt (chairman of the San Juan Island School Board) and their two youngest children, Theo and Elwyn.

The Pratts raised produce, sheep and chickens, and operated a CSA for 12 years.

Lovel has been a volunteer firefighter, a WSU Extension Food Systems Education coordinator, and is currently the project director for the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild. She is an active volunteer in the schools and with the San Juan Public Schools Foundation.

“I’m looking forward to campaigning and especially to meeting with my potential constituents and other county residents to hear about their concerns and goals for our community.”

She can be reached at electlovel@gmail.com.