Politics & Government
Candidate Viewpoint with Wendy Skillman
The election is just weeks away. In Cotati it is a four horse race for three available seats on the City Council plus there is always the possibility of a write-in candidate. The Patch is talking with each candidate so we can learn about why they think
Editor's note: Please note this is not an endorsement by the Patch for this or any candidate. We are giving the same questions and opportunity to all candidates so that they may express their thoughts to our readers in an attempt to get to know them better and what they think is important.
Wendy Skillman's background includes 12 years as an attorney. She has been an environmental prosecutor, primarily in central California and worked as a deputy district attorney in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. For the past 5 years she has called Cotati home and in the time has spent three-and-a-half years as part of the Community and Environment Commission. She was appointed as a Planning Commissioner in June of this year.
Why are you running?
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I really have enjoyed the work that I have done so far with the city and I have gotten to know some great people within the community. I would like to try and keep moving forward in a positive way to help the community, fill empty stores, and do what I can for Cotati.
What do you want to accomplish?
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From my time working on the general plan it seems like we are moving in the right direction. I want to keep working towards keeping the small town feel that Cotati has but also get new businesses into the city. Also I would like to help streamline the process to help local businesses do more in Cotati such as making it simpler to move from one location to another location or into a bigger store.
Are there any issues critical to you?
The budget will be a critical issue. We lost some redevelopment funds, as many other cities have, and that will require adjustments. There is a need to try and maintain grants for current projects and obtain new ones. I also think it is important to keep the area safe and maintain our police department so we have a safe community to raise a family.
What qualifies you?
A lot of my work as an attorney involved coordinating with various people that had varied opinions on one issue. My experience from those past jobs has been in finding the middle ground while listening to all parties concerns and points of view. While it is important to listen to all sides you then need to be able to step back and look at the big picture and how it all fits together. I have excelled at bringing people to a point to agree and reach a resolution.
Why should people vote for you?
I work really well in getting resolutions. My background, skills, and experience can be brought to the table to work with people, including other council members, to reach resolutions to problems and keep things going in a positive manner for our city.
Being a parent I spend a lot of time thinking about education and planning for the future in the community I live in. It is important to me to be in a place where my son can safely ride his bike to a friend's house and we have great activities and events to go to along with having good schools that provide the education we want.
Election Day is fast approaching. November 6 is right around the corner so make sure to stay tuned to the Patch for more information about each candidate to help you make your choice.
