Soon we will have the chance once again to flex our “voting muscles” and elect those who will be guiding us in the future of our government. I don’t normally get on my political soapbox, but I feel the upcoming election is important so I wanted to share my viewpoints.

One election that is locally important will be the election of our new sheriff, and we have the good fortune to have five people who think they would make a good sheriff. I have had the privilege to get to know one of them very well, and when he told me he had decided to run for the position, I couldn’t think of a better fit for the job.

What does a sheriff do? While a sheriff is a chief law enforcement official, a sheriff also has to work as a liaison between the department and the community. Someone who has diplomatic skills would be key to that part of the job. A sheriff also has to work with our local government, so someone who has good communication skills would be critical. The sheriff also wears the hat of an accountant, balancing ever-changing budgets to maximize every penny to proper usage. A sheriff needs to have values that reflect that of the community they serve and a demonstrable history of service to their community.

So now that we know what makes a good sheriff, who would fill that position the best? I feel without a doubt that Brad Fincher would be an incredible sheriff. I have known Brad almost since I moved to the island in the 1990s, and I know that Brad would serve as sheriff with distinction and honor.

Brad is our local probation officer (he was even Probation Officer of the Year), and has also served as the work crew supervisor, a program that allowed the county to save over $1 million by allowing offenders work off their sentences by serving our community. He has an intimate knowledge of the legal process and has a track record of working hard to make his programs work for more than 10 years.

Brad has been already serving this community, whether it was something simple like helping a neighbor move (I think that pickup of his has moved more people than I can count!), serving on the Fair Board, volunteering at the elementary school. Brad is devoted to his wife and kids, as well as to our island communities.

I know that Brad is hard-working, honest, and I am proud to say I count him among my closest friends. So join me on Aug. 17 and check off Brad Fincher for sheriff.

John Boyd
Friday Harbor