San Juan County Councilwoman Lovel Pratt is tossing her hat into the ring for a second time.

The elected representative of the county’s legislative District 1, San Juan South, Pratt is in the fourth year of a four-year term on the County Council. A former longtime member of the county planning commission, Pratt said in announcing her reelection bid that she is intent on following through on several important issues facing the county.

“I want to make sure that San Juan County is on firm footing for the future,” she said. “There is continued work needed to identify and implement a long-term, sustainable budget, resolve solid waste issues and in particular self-haul options on San Juan Island and ensure that the council has a transparent and publicaly accessible decision-making process. Regarding the council’s legislative priorities there is considerable work still needed, particularly on oil spill issues and the Cattle Point Road realignment project.”

Pratt is the council’s representative on the legislative steering committee of the Washington State Association of Counties. She was appointed by WASC to represent the interest of counties on the Cross-Partnership Oil Spill Work Group and the Oil Spill Rule Advisory Committee. She regularly travels to Olympia while the Legislature is in session to advocate on behalf of the county council’s legislative priorities, which include oil spill prevention, readiness and response; issues involving ferries, and maintaining funding for county programs and services.

The elected representatives on the 6-person council serve four-year terms, those positions are considered part-time, and each earns roughly $35,000 a year, plus benefits.

In addition to District 1, council positions of District 3, Friday Harbor, and District 4, Orcas West, are up for reelection this year as well. Pratt said representing District 1 residents has been an “honor”.

“I ask voters in San Juan South to give me the opportunity to continue my work on behalf of San Juan County,” she said. “I have received a lot of encouragement to run for re-election.  My constituents appreciate my dedication and accessibility, my responsiveness to their concerns and my hard work on behalf of San Juan County at the local, regional, and state level.”

Pratt said that she will accept campaign contributions of no more than $50 per person, noting that limit is a continuation of her own version of campaign finance reform. Treasurer for the Committee to Re-Elect Lovel Pratt is Kathy Cope.

For more info, email Pratt at reelectlovel@gmail.com