By Kevin Hanson
The Courier-Herald
When they head to the polls Nov. 8, Enumclaw voters will decide two races for seats on the City Council and select a mayor.
Both council races feature newcomers to the Enumclaw political scene. The following is a look at the candidates for Position 1.
Liz Reynolds
As she goes door-to-door on the campaign trail, Liz Reynolds wears a large button that includes the phrase, “Liz Listens.” The message, she said, is simple but important.
“Here I am, asking them to put me in a position to represent them. I have to listen,” Reynolds said. If elected, she vows to keep an open-door policy, solicit views from the public and then do her best to vote in a way that reflects what the citizens of Enumclaw want.
The retired executive chef, now an active artist, is making her first run at elective office. Though she's a political novice, Reynolds has been a visible force on the local arts scene. She created “Art in the Garden,” an event that brought exposure to local artists and gave them a chance to sell their work in an intimate setting; was a co-coordinator of the 2003 Evening of Art, Wine and Roses in downtown Enumclaw and helped with this year's Arts, Blues and Jazz Walk, also downtown.
Turning her energy to the philanthropic side, about a year ago, Reynolds created a local Stockings for Soldiers program and successfully pitched the idea to the Chamber of Commerce. She has guided the effort that has been responsible for creating 1,100 goodie bags that will be sent to soldiers overseas.
“I'm overwhelmed by the continued generosity from this community,” she said. “They just keep giving.”
The 47-year-old Reynolds, who moved here five years ago with her husband, believes the city “needs to develop a viable tourism plan that works for the community as a whole.” Enumclaw needs to do something to secure its place in the tourism industry, she said, but it cannot place an additional tax burden on residents.
What about the current proposal to turn Enumclaw into an equestrian center that would rival any in the Pacific Northwest? “It's a pretty picture,” Reynolds said of the plan, but she's withholding final judgment until more work is done. She wants to be assured it's a “good business decision” before jumping on board.
Another key factor facing Enumclaw's elected officials, she said, is growth - or, more specifically, how the city responds to more people coming to town. “Growth is inevitable, but we can grow sensibly,” she said.
“People have moved here because of the small, community feeling, and I want to make sure we don't lost that charisma, that charm,” she added.
Reynolds, who is not related to City Attorney Mike Reynolds, would like to see the city work harder toward getting a Welcome Center built and believes a new community center/senior center is due. On the latter topic, she would like to further explore the idea of the city taking over J.J. Smith Elementary School, which the school district no longer uses as a school.
In the end, Reynolds sees Enumclaw as “a little gold mine.” The trick, she believes, is “we need to create a vision of where we're going to go.”
Rena Boesche
Rena Boesche first got involved with city government as a neighborhood activist and has used that experience as a springboard to run for elective office.
Her initial foray into the city system came when developers began putting up duplexes in her neighborhood, with the blessing of the city's Planning Commission. Feeling that one particular project was out of line, Boesche led the appeal to the City Council, which resulted in a favorable ruling; the council agreed with Boesche's argument and overturned the Planning Commission.
That experience prompted the 37-year-old Boesche to “not complain so much, and do something proactive rather than reactive,” she said.
An electrical engineer by trade, Boesche has lived in the area since 1982 and been a city resident - along with her husband and four dogs - since 1992.
She believes the city needs to be more active when it comes to attracting new businesses and industry to town, both to satisfy resident's retail desires and create jobs in the community. Enumclaw's downtown core doesn't provide everything people would like, she said, and she's uncomfortable with the fact that the city hasn't been able to attract a business to take over a key downtown lot (at Cole Street and Myrtle Avenue) that has sat vacant for a decade.
Because Enumclaw is home to a hospital and abundant medical-related services, she is interested in the idea of creating a small medical business park.
While advocating growth, Boesche is quick to point out she would not favor the type of rapid development that has overtaken communities such as Bonney Lake and Four Corners.
Growth has to follow a plan, she said, that assures “we don't lose sight of the small town charm we have.”
Finally, Boesche wants to be certain Enumclaw has the infrastructure in place to handle all growth that comes its way, and that the city's police and fire departments are adequately staffed to deal with more people. A key ingredient of that preparedness, she said, is making sure “developers are being accountable for their fair share.”
Boesche isn't completely sold on the current proposal to brighten Enumclaw's future by positioning the city as an equestrian center. “I don't know if the benefits would outweigh the costs,” she said. She admits it's an attractive idea, but is reserving final judgment until an economic analysis has been completed.
If elected, Boesche believes her professional background would lend itself to making her an effective councilwoman. During 14 years as an electrical engineer, she said, she has been afforded management experience and been required to work with large budgets.
She hopes to use those skills to keep Enumclaw “a good place, an affordable place, to live.” She wants citizens to feel free to get involved in their community and not be intimidated by City Hall.
“We're losing our sense of community,” she said, “and we need to get it back.”
Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com.
