PO City Council candidates clarify campaign priorities

Port Orchard will look to its voters Nov. 7 to decide who fills four City Council positions, but the decision will not be as easy as four years ago when all but one was unopposed.

The Port Orchard Independent posed two questions to all candidates: What are the five biggest issues and your stance on them, and why should voters choose you over your opponent?

Mark Trenary v. Wilbur Hart: District 1

Currently the at-large elected councilman, Trenary said he is more than equipped to fill the seat that Shawn Cucciardi occupies. He credited his brief service in public office as notable experience but also approaches his campaign from the perspective of decades of small business ownership.

“I believe my business experience provides the level of fiscal knowledge needed for this position,” he said. “I believe my position as president of my company, past president of a service club and holding positions on many boards has honed my leadership capabilities while helping me learn to work as a member of a team.”

Trenary’s main issues lie within anticipated growth of the city. Traffic and infrastructure top his list as he notes both have incredible need for improvements, including multiple interchanges on Highway 16. “Growth should pay for growth but the areas of the city where we have aging sewer, water and stormwater utilities must also be upgraded to prevent a catastrophic event from occurring,” he said.

The councilman also advocated for an increased effort to train and hire police officers, combating a growing issue of general public safety, and also getting help to the homeless who want or need it. All of those issues need to be addressed in the best interest of taxpayers.

Hart did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Eric Worden v. John Clauson: Position 4

Clauson’s years on the council are so many that he has drawn within striking distance to that of the record 45 years held by former Councilman Robert Geiger. As such, he stated in his answers to POI that the time has been well spent fulfilling his duties for his city. “I offer a proven track record of effective leadership, an understanding of the issues that matter to our residents, and a commitment to transparency, accountability and community engagement,” he said.

Worden criticized current leaders for prioritizing their wants over the needs of the people. “Do you want another four years of poor planning and disconnections with community members, or do you want someone with nearly thirty years of experience in Public Works, who not only has experience in city planning but promises full transparency and communication with our citizens? It’s a clear choice,” Worden said.

It’s no surprise that Clauson, executive director for Kitsap Transit, has city growth and traffic at the top of his priorities, citing roundabout projects as a positive focus for the community. He also gave his support for increased police staffing and the new police-worn body cameras program while also highlighting the need for a cost-effective government and major improvements to downtown. “Initiatives like Bay Street roadway improvements, Kitsap Bank’s new headquarters, improved public spaces, and the proposed new Community Center all contribute to the vibrancy of our downtown,” he said.

Worden put growth and development, including traffic, as the most staggering area of concern. Specifically, he states the lack of proper design and due diligence combined with an expectancy for the taxpayers to fund such an effort is creating unusable developments. He also wanted to see Port Orchard cleaned up in terms of utility systems and its current infrastructure rather than just creating new developments that he said the public should not trust the current council with, including a potential transit station on the waterfront.

“Hypocritically, the council boasts about spending tax dollars on community centers, yet they are ignoring the eyesores so blatantly obvious. Pride of our community needs restoration,” he said.

Heidi Fenton v. Cindy Lucarelli: Position 5

Two years after losing her challenge to the Position 3 seat, Fenton finds herself back in the general election, this time with a little momentum to spare. Her victory in the primary has her one step closer to becoming not a politician, but a civil servant in office, as she put it.

She said, “I am a fresh set of eyes and perspective to a council I believe has lost its way, and I will bring honesty and transparency back to our City Council and make decisions that put the community first. I believe in service above self and want to instill that culture into our local governance.”

While Fenton argued against the reliance on political experience, Lucarelli used it as the backbone of her argument to remain in office. The Veterans Park cleanup, temporary shelters, property rights and affordable transportation are part of what she said her proven track record is in serving the people. “This is a time for experience and continuity on the council to continue what has been started. I have that experience; experience you can trust,” she said.

Fenton stated that her campaign is in the best interest of the people, her top priority being the citizens of Port Orchard gaining their voice. She followed it up with ways to accomplish that primary goal including welcoming and maintaining local business, building and maintaining roads and infrastructure, informing the public to boost transparency and collaborating with agencies to tackle homelessness. “I work for the people and their voice matters. I will listen, show respect and work together as we solve important issues and challenges presented, and that starts by putting our citizens first,” she said.

Lucarelli’s priorities focus on combating limits imposed by state leaders. She prioritized the growth of the city’s police department in staffing levels, despite local departments being repeatedly handcuffed from doing their jobs. Transportation issues, an aging and costly utility system, housing density mandates and the issue of homelessness round out her list. “I regularly defend property rights,” she said about housing mandates, “and have concerns for our citizens as the state works to erode those rights.”

Kaylan Marie O’Connor v. John Morrissey: Council At-Large

Neither candidate responded to multiple inquiries.