Bellevue residents to vote on changing city's form of government

Residents also will select 15 Bellevue residents as "freeholders" on Tuesday. If the charter proposal passes, the freeholders will draft a recommendation for the form the city's government should take. Currently, Bellevue hires a city manager to handle day-to-day business and the council selects the mayor. The freeholders could retain that system or recommend a form in which the citizenry elects the mayor, who then runs the city. Council members could be elected at-large, as they are now, or by district.

Voters would decide on the freeholders' recommendation in a later election. Even if they vote against the charter proposal, voters can select "freeholder" candidates, listed on the back of the ballot.

Information: www.metrokc.gov/elections, www.ci.bellevue.wa.us, www.munileague.org

For a pro-charter view: www.bellevuecharternow.org or www.optionsyes.com

For an anti-charter view, Save Our City -- Charter No! can be reached at info@save-our-city.com.

-- Brad Wong

POSITION NO. 1

Ron Smith

Age: 37. Neighborhood: Enatai.

Experience: Former Bellevue mayor, former Bellevue city councilman.

Position on charter: Will vote no. Supports current system.

Contact information: 2138 104th Place S.E., Bellevue, WA 98004

Don Mackenzie

Age: 73.

Experience: Former Bellevue city councilman, Boeing engineer. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Favors charter.

Contact information: Did not answer.

POSITION NO. 2 (unopposed)

Wayne Tanaka

Age: 53. Neighborhood: Forest Glen.

Experience: Municipal law lawyer, attorney for Snohomish County freeholders, member of Bellevue School Board.

Position on charter: Leaning against it.

Contact information: 206-447-7000.

POSITION NO. 3

Joshua Schaer

Age: 24. Neighborhood: Eastgate.

Experience: Lawyer, former member of Metro Transit Eastside Sounding Board and Bellevue Neighborhood Enhancement Program. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter and elected mayor.

Contact information: 425-891-4423 or electschaer@hotmail.com.

Ken Seal

Age: 74. Neighborhood: Lake Hills.

Experience: Retired engineer, Lake Hills Community Club volunteer, East Bellevue Municipal Community councilman, worked on King County and Bellevue comprehensive plans.

Position on charter: Wants election by districts.

Contact information: 425-746-2495.

POSITION NO. 4

Claudia Balducci

Age: 35. Neighborhood: Lake Hills.

Experience: Labor and employment lawyer, King County labor relations representative, King County Adult and Juvenile Detention human resources manager, Lake Hills Shopping Center Stakeholders Group member.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Contact information: 425-864-1408, cbjh@attbi.com, home.attbi.com/~cbjh/claudia.html.

Stacie LeBlanc Anderson

Age: 43. Neighborhood: Surrey Downs.

Experience: Steering committee of Bellevue Charter Now, vice president of the Surrey Downs Community Club, former artist's resource bank coordinator for Washington State Arts Commission.

Position on charter: Favors charter, elected mayor.

Contact information: greyskyedesign@mac.com.

POSITION NO. 5

Bill Guenzler

Age: 57. Neighborhood: South Bellevue area.

Experience: First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue member, former city of Bellevue department director, Bellevue Sister Cities Association board member.

Position on charter: Against charter, supports at-large elections.

Contact information: 425-644-3318 or billandcarolg@yahoo.com

Jim Radcliffe

Age: 71. Neighborhood: Northtowne.

Experience: Aerospace management positions, former Mercer Island city councilman. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter.

Contact information: jimrad@prodigy.net.

POSITION NO. 6 (unopposed)

William Linton

Age: 45. Neighborhood: Northtowne.

Experience: YMCA Downtown Bellevue board member, First Congregational Church of Bellevue stewardship chairman, Washington State Bar Association member, Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants member

Position on charter: Opposes charter, but would consider having some representatives elected by districts, some at-large.

Contact information: 206-515-0644 or wlinton@oz.net.

POSITION NO. 7

Kim Richards

Age: 54. Neighborhood: Norwood Village.

Experience: Active with the Washington Education Association, worked on Bellevue School District levy campaigns, Norwood Village community group secretary, school counselor. Endorsed by Options Yes.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Contact information: 425-747-9570.

Steve Brown

Age: 48. Neighborhood: Lake Hills.

Experience: Phantom Lake Elementary PTA co-president, Bellevue Schools Foundation trustee.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Contact information: 425-562-9488 or s2steve@earthlink.net.

David Marks

Age: 43. Neighborhood: West Lake Sammamish/East Bellevue.

Experience: Founder and former president of the West Lake Sammamish Association, former co-chairman for Network Neighborhood North community group, attorney and accountant. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter process. Contact information: 206-595-8744 or dmarks@mhfmlaw.com.

POSITION NO. 8

Lael Braymer

Age: 72. Neighborhood: Norwood Village.

Experience: League of Women Voters member, worked on state and Bellevue City Council campaigns. Endorsed by Options Yes.

Position on charter: Supports charter process. Contact information: 425-641-4259.

Zee Straight-Weiss

Age: 60. Neighborhood: Wilburton.

Experience: Retired Boeing management consultant, Bellevue Transportation Commission member.

Position on charter: Undecided.

Contact information: 425-454-1786 or zeestr8@hotmail.com.

Bob Steed

Age: Did not say. Neighborhood: Somerset.

Experience: Boeing engineer, Bellevue City Planning Commission member, former Somerset Community Association board member, youth soccer coach.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Contact information: www.vote-bob-steed.com

Jeannie Vahlsing

Age: 55. Neighborhood: Spiritridge.

Experience: Spiritridge Homeowners Association president, teacher. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Will vote yes.

Contact information: jmvahlsing@aol.com.

POSITION NO. 9

Scott Wallace withdrew from election.

Jane Archer

Age: 58. Neighborhood: Northeast Bellevue.

Experience: Bellevue Parks and Community Services Board, Advance Bellevue Class of 2000, president of two school PTAs, former teacher, PRO Sports Club executive assistant.

Position on charter: Opposes charter.

Contact information: 425-881-6174 or janielu@msn.com.

Paula Fraser

Age: 59. Neighborhood: Northeast.

Experience: Former community representative for King County Journal editorial board, Washington State Bar Association Public Legal Education Committee, community representative for a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute committee. Endorsed by Options Yes.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Affiliation or endorsement: Options Yes

Contact information: 1-877-689-4162 or www.optionsyes.com or info@optionsyes.com.

Joseph Rosmann

Age: 58. Neighborhood: Surrey Downs.

Experience: Management consultant, Surrey Downs Community Club board member, participated in presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and city council campaigns. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter, elected mayor, district representation.

Contact information: 425-417-0797 or www.bellevuecharternow.org or rosmannj@mac.com.

POSITION NO. 10

Sheldon Arakaki

Age: 41. Neighborhood: Overlake.

Experience: Washington State Literacy Board, Japanese American Citizens League, Eastside Asian Pacific Islanders, former English Language Learner Conversation volunteer. Endorsed by Options Yes.

Position on charter: Supports charter.

Contact information: www.optionsyes.com

Jan Benson

Age: 67. Neighborhood: Lake Hills.

Experience: Neighborhood Network North co-chairwoman, worked in advertising and as a controller, participated in various political campaigns. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports process.

Contact information: jmb@wolfenet.com.

POSITION NO. 11

Sarah Chandler

Age: 57. Neighborhood: Bridle Trails.

Experience: Former Bellevue Planning Commission member, Common Cause National Board, Governor's Committee on Ethics and Campaign Practices. Endorsed by Options Yes.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Contact information: 425-882-1866 or sgchandler@aol.com.

John VanDuzor

Age: 53. Neighborhood: Lake Hills.

Experience: Representative for manufacturing companies, Boy Scout volunteer. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter, elected mayor. Is leaning toward district representation.

Contact information: 425-747-8191 or duzor@msn.com.

John Chelminiak

Age: 50. Neighborhood: Vuecrest.

Experience: Bellevue Planning Commission, O'Dea High School Board of Directors, Vuecrest Community Association secretary, Snohomish County Council chief of staff. Endorsed by Bellevue City Council members Phil Noble, Chuck Mosher and Conrad Lee.

Position on charter: Against charter. Supports current system

Contact information: 425-941-5468 or johnchel@earthlink.net.

POSITION NO. 12

John Meredith

Age: 60. Neighborhood: Bridle Trails.

Experience: Works for Boeing, Bridle Trails Community Club member, Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace council member. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter.

Contact information: 425-883-4525.

Gary Weber

Age: 48. Neighborhood: Eastgate/Cougar Ridge.

Experience: Washington state government relations director for International Council of Shopping Centers, Saint Madeline Sophie Parish volunteer teacher, worked on federal and state legislation supporting private property rights.

Position on charter: Opposes one, but "will be an unbiased participant of charter commission if charter is approved."

Contact information: garyrweber@msn.com.

POSITION NO. 13

Harvey Kriloff

Age: 61. Neighborhood: Wilburton.

Experience: Worked on campaign for state Attorney General, Bellevue School District board member candidate, university instructor, served on Bellevue planning advisory board. Endorsed by Options Yes and Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter.

Contact information: 425-453-1941 or hzkriloff@hotmail.com.

James Haskin

Age: 69. Neighborhood: Wilburton.

Experience: Wilburton Community Association president, former office products dealer.

Position on charter: Opposes charter. Supports current system. Contact information: 425-453-9884 or amlj6@cs.com.

POSITION NO. 14

Gwen Warren

Age: 76. Neighborhood: Northtowne.

Experience: Active in parent-faculty groups in Clyde Hill and Bellevue, Neighborhood Networks North community group, Access Downtown member, former King County Juvenile Court employee. Endorsed by Bellevue Charter Now.

Position on charter: Supports charter process. Would consider district representation.

Contact information: 425-454-9677.

Vicki Orrico

Age: 41. Neighborhood: Forest Hill/Somerset.

Experience: Lawyer, board member for Women Business Owners and Washington State Bar Association Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, Pacific Northwest Citizen Advocacy Panel.

Position on charter: Supports charter process.

Contact information: 425-401-9556 or veorrico@msn.com.

POSITION NO. 15 (unopposed)

Manuel Yglesias

Age: 77. Neighborhood: Crofton.

Experience: Volunteer for various community groups, including Little League, Latino Forum and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Position on charter: Supports charter. Contact information: 425-497-1229 or m.myglesias@attbi.com.

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