MARYSVILLE – Robert Weiss is running against incumbent Jeff Vaughan for the Marysville City Council in the Nov. 7 general election.
Weiss said he has no problems with Vaughan, he just thinks with his different life experiences he would be a good addition to the council.
Vaughan said he has been a productive member of the council for years, and wants to continue in that role.
Following are their responses to our newspaper’s questionaire.
Marysville City Council, Position 1
Name: Robert Weiss
Experience: I’ve lived in N.J., AZ, TX and now in Marysville. I have a lot of life experience, and for some time I’ve wanted to get into local politics. I have an engineer’s training and experience and have worked in several industries, both in tooling/industrial engineering and product engineering. I hope to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to make Marysville a better place to live. I also want to try to keep the city running as efficiently as possible. During my time at Boeing, I served as a SPEEA Council representative. I have taken a significant amount of training and participated in numerous cases helping SPEEA members dealing with issues they had with Boeing. I can say that those experiences helped me to understand that listening to all involved is crucial to obtaining the best results. How do you differ from your opponent? I really can’t contrast my view on issues to my opponent’s. I just want to get an opportunity to participate in the process. Unfortunately, to do that involves running against an opponent. Some time ago, Council Member Rasmussen resigned. There was a process for interested people to apply for the position. I applied at that time, and I was not successful. I’ve decided to make another attempt at obtaining a position on the City Council. One item I could attempt to improve on is in responsiveness to requests from residents. I noticed several occasions in the council minutes when it was mentioned that the council didn’t respond to residents. Maybe a person starting out would be more responsive. Why should people vote for you? I believe I am ready to serve and will be an asset to council. I am a team player and prefer to solve problems quickly and as simply as possible. Shortly after registering for this election, I had a call from my opponent. Jeff Vaughan listened to my reasons for running, and my statement that I had no real dissatisfaction with his performance. I just wanted to have an opportunity to serve, and I selected his seat. He acknowledged that he entered the council in largely the same manner. I can only say my education and life experiences are different, and I think I have a lot to add to the council.
Name: Jeffrey D. Vaughan
Experience: Sixteen years’ experience in executive management with prior experience as an occupational safety and health professional in the aerospace and utility industries. Bachelor of Science degree in public health with a minor in chemistry. Active church volunteer, Boy Scout leader, and former youth soccer coach. Ham radio operator and participating member of a local emergency communications network. Why should people vote for you rather than your opponent? I have a record of service that shows consistency and diligence in working on important challenges such as reducing traffic congestion, increasing local job opportunities and increasing the safety of our neighborhoods. I have worked to reduce the tax burden on our citizens by stopping unnecessary tax increases and encouraging greater accountability and efficiency in government. This has resulted in improved quality of service at a lower cost with a healthier financial outlook for our city. I offer a depth and breadth of experience as a representative and public servant. I have been accountable and transparent in my representation of the citizens of Marysville.
