What’s so special about this election? The May 2023 election is all about “special districts” – school boards, transportation district, recreation district, fire boards, health districts and more. And for Tillamook County this is a historic election. Never before have there been so many candidates on the ballot. Usually the ballot for this election has one name (or a blank) for the position. The May 2023 ballot will have eight races with multiple candidates for each position. So Tillamook County, it’s time to do your homework, and get to know who these people are that will be in charge of our schools, transportation, health, fire departments, water systems and more. It’s election time – and in Tillamook County there has been an increase in participation in our government process with many races having multiple choices. The Pioneer is proud to provide this opportunity for our community to make informed voting choices and learn about the candidates. We will post the candidate’s answers (that we received) in the contested races with multiple candidates. These questions were gathered from a diverse array of Tillamook County citizens, and provides an opportunity for constituents to compare candidates answers directly.
Here are the candidates for Tillamook Bay Community College’s Board. NOTE: If a candidate’s name is listed with no responses, that means the Pioneer did not receive answers from that candidate after repeated attempts to do so. If any of those candidates that did not return responses would like to be represented, please send your answers to editor@tillamookcountypioneer.net. We acknowledge that it’s possible for our request to be out there somewhere spinning in cyberspace … the constiuents of Tillamook County deserve to hear from all of the candidates and we strive to acheive that.
Tillamook Bay Community College
Position #1, Zone 1 – 4 yr. term
Jonathan Whittles
Mary Jones
- Why are you running for this position? I am running for re-election to the TBCC Board of Education, Zone 1. I have been serving on that board for 7 years, during which the college has thrived, even in uncertain times and difficult conditions. The current Board is diverse, experienced, and has provided proven results.
- If elected, what will be your priorities? I believe the job of the Board of Education is to put in place a vision and strategic plan that will ensure the ongoing success of the college. This entails ensuring the right people are in the right places, fiscal responsibility, and listening to the community to ensure the college is providing the right courses and programs that will best serve the people and businesses in the county.
- What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? My background here in Tillamook County is over 30 years of development and construction, as well as continued operation of various businesses in Tillamook County, including Nestucca Ridge Development, Pelican Brewing Co., the Inn at Cape Kiwanda, and Headlands Lodge & Spa. I believe I bring valuable skills to the college as well as insight into what employers need from a community college. My skills include strategic planning, leadership, fiscal responsibility, and experience in construction and development. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue bringing my skills and experience to TBCC, which will be particularly important during the next couple of years while we execute the development and construction of the Health Education building.
- What issues do you believe the board needs to address? Please list 3 and your solutions/ideas. The college is embarking upon a major building project and adding a very important nursing program. The board needs to be involved in directing and monitoring each step, starting with design, and moving all the way through to opening. This will be an exciting time, but also a time when we need board members with good development experience and the ability to work through issues that come up and resolve them efficiently. I have many skills and years of experience in this arena. We need to continue to grow our student body. Although we have been more successful than most colleges in growing our enrollment over the past few years, I believe there could be more partnerships with high schools and businesses to encourage and support additional enrollment. Continued fiscal responsibility. We have historically done very well in this area, maintaining good reserves, and a balanced budget. We need to keep a watchful eye to ensure this continues into the future.
- If you could make one improvement to the work this board does, what would it be? One improvement could be encouraging more partnerships with business leaders to make sure we are thinking about the future needs of businesses so we provide the right training and skills for positions in the local businesses. We already do some of that work, but I feel we can get even better at getting information and feedback.
- In your opinion, what attributes must a good board member have? The ability to listen to the needs of the community, a desire to work together with others to find solutions to problems, and strategic thinking.
- What is your vision for our community? A place where anyone who desires to obtain higher education can do so, regardless of who they are, their position in the community, or their income level. I believe quality education is key to improving the lives of many and I want to help make that happen.
Dwaine A. McClintock
Position #5, Zone 5, 4 yr term
Betsy McMahon
-
Why are you running for this position? Community colleges provide a valuable opportunity to our citizens because an affordable education is possible at a community college, plus the outcome serves as a doorway to valuable future job possibilities.
-
If elected, what will be your priorities? Since I joined the Tillamook Bay Community College five years ago, my priorities have remained the same:
-to make available an affordable college education;
-to offer quality staff and teachers;
-to open students’ eyes to the possibilities in education;
-to give a solid educational foundation in all aspects of learning.
-
What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? I have been involved in the education field for most of my life as a teacher and administrator. The following are the schools and colleges where I worked: Minneapolis Community College, Normandale Community College (Minneapolis, MN), Portland Community College, Concordia University (Portland). Most recently, from 2010 to 2016, I have taught at Tillamook Bay Community College. In addition, I have taught in Paris, France (French Government Teaching Assistantship), Mostar, Bosnia-Hercegovinia (Fulbright Grant), Chengde, China (US/China Exchange) and Ommen International School, The Netherlands. When I taught at Tillamook Bay Community College (TBCC), I gained insight into the inner workings of the college, which gave me a strong understanding of TBCC. I feel this teaching foundation was excellent for my being on the Board, beginning in 2018. I believe my experience on the TBCC Board has been worthwhile because I have taken my position very seriously and have participated not only in Board meetings, but also in staff meetings, growing our class offerings and other community activities. In the past five years, TBCC has 24 new degree and certificate options; Career-Technical Education, such as the Truck Driver Training, for example, has shown how TBCC can collaborate with local businesses. Much emphasis has been placed on Manufacturing and Industrial Technology programs; Agricultural Technology, Healthcare Admin; Welding.
-
What issues do you believe the board needs to address? Please list 3 and your solutions/ideas
-Keeping tuition affordable. TBCC is the second least-expensive college in Oregon and we need to work hard to maintain this;
-Our bond to build a new Healthcare building passed last year and now we need to provide what is needed to enhance the opportunities for the healthcare field;
-”Lives in Transition” – a wraparound program to help non-traditional students realize their potential in higher education and a career, is scheduled to start next year and I am eager to work and get that program up and running.
-
If you could make one improvement to the work this board does, what would it be? I believe that we need to connect with the entire Tillamook County community as much as possible, so that our citizens realize the amazing possibilities that are offered at TBCC. The Board members should get out into organizations and groups to share the news about new programs, degrees and outcomes!
-
In your opinion, what attributes must a good board member have? A good board member should be diligent about their attention to the very important work before them, which is guiding what is happening at the college and making decisions about many aspects of the inner workings of a college. We have kept our budget strong for many years and our Board members have supported this by favoring a conservative approach to fiscal policy. I have been the liaison to the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) for the past five years and have recently been appointed to the Executive Board of that organization. I am very proud to have been awarded that honor and I promise to be an excellent representative for Tillamook Bay Community College and our community.
-
What is your vision for our community? My vision is for students at the high schools to be able to take advantage of the free college courses to high school juniors and seniors through the dual credit program where high school instructors teach college level classes embedded in their high school classes. In this way, young people can be introduced to the possibilities that education can offer to them. More CTE programs will be developed, especially apprenticeship positions. For example, TBCC is the main trainer of construction apprentices for O’Brien Construction, a large contractor throughout Oregon. In addition, I hope that TBCC offerings are used by more people in our community. With the Healthcare Program taking shape, once our new building is completed, there will be opportunities in the healthcare field opening up to our citizens, which is exciting.
Teah Laviolette
Ms. Laviolette is running for four positions – Tillamook County Transportation District, Tillamook Bay Community College, Nehalem Bay Health District and North County Recreation District. The Pioneer requested that candidates for multiple positions answer the questions for EACH board position, as each board has unique issues and situations. Ms. Laviolette chose to send one response for all the positions.
Here is a link to her profile that appeared in our Questions for the Candidates – Tillamook County Transportation District.
Position #7, At-Large, 4 yr term
Loten Hooley
Mary Faith Bell
- Why are you running for this position? I have been on the board for almost 10 years. I am running for reelection because I love the mission of the college, and the power of community college to dramatically change people’s lives for the better. I love that TBCC facilitates community partnerships built on shared values and improves the local economy by training a skilled workforce for important family wage jobs. I bring valuable skills, relationships and proven leadership to the board that will be an asset to the college in the next few years as we build the new healthcare education building and launch the new nursing program.
- If elected, what will be your priorities? I am currently the vice chair of the board, and I am on the construction committee as a board liaison. In that capacity, I will meet with the project manager and the construction superintendent on a regular basis to receive updates about the new education building, ask questions and represent the interests of the board and the community. I am excited about the new nursing program, and the new construction trades program.
- What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? In my tenure on the board I have participated in review and updating of TBCC policies and procedures, mission development and strategic planning, the budgeting process and the budget committee, and fundraising efforts. I have learned about the role of the Oregon Community Colleges Association (OCCA) and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). I have become well versed in the state budgeting process for funding community colleges, legislative advocacy, college reaccreditation, and best practices for community colleges. I have been active in the college’s partnerships with all three public school districts, OSU, and Adventist Health-Tillamook. I have learned about the needs of our students, and how TBCC can best provide resources and support to maximize their success.
- What issues do you believe the board needs to address? Please list 3 and your solutions/ideas. The college, like most local employers, had a rough time retaining and recruiting staff through COVID-19. The stress of the pandemic and being short-staffed was hard on employees. Morale suffered. Nevertheless, TBCC stayed open and we were one of the only colleges in the state in which enrollment grew through the pandemic. The college is almost fully staffed now, with wonderful, highly skilled people. I think it is important to continue working on employee retention and engagement, because investment in employees is good business and part of a wholistic approach to organizational health. Ultimately, students will remember and be inspired by the relationships they had with their teachers and advisors.
- If you could make one improvement to the work this board does, what would it be? This board does excellent work. I wish we had more opportunities to engage with students. Hearing from students is the highlight of our board meetings, it is a joy. We have something valuable to offer them, too.
- In your opinion, what attributes must a good board member have? First and foremost, board members should be devoted to the mission of the college and uphold it in the community and in their roles. It is in the best interest of TBCC to maintain experienced, skilled and engaged board members who contribute to the wellbeing of the institution by their collegial participation.
- What is your vision for our community? My vision for Tillamook County is a place where everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow and thrive, personally and economically. I want ours to be a community where people don’t have to move away to go to college if they don’t want to, they can stay here and get an education and a good job and raise their families here. I want our schools to be places where all students feel safe and nurtured and valued. I want our business community to be a place where we ‘grow our own’ skilled workforce, and don’t have to recruit from outside the area to fill the best jobs. I want our economy to be healthy because our community is as strong as our economy. Community college plays a strong role in that vision, by lifting the community up.
