Position 5 features military veterans, homeowner association member

By AL STOVER

Staff Reporter

Councilwoman Elizabeth Rosenbeck running for Medical Lake City Council Position No. 2, means there are three first-time candidates seeking Position No. 5.

Two of the three candidates, Michael Deeley and Gary Plumlee, have served in the military while Ted Olson serves on the Fox Ridge Homeowners Association.

Michael Deeley

Michael Deeley, who served in the Air Force, currently works as a rural carrier for the post office. He said he was interested in running for council because he saw how good public service from residents benefits a community.

Although he comes in with no experience as an elected official, he feels his time in the Air Force will help him in his role on the City Council, particularly with organization skills and resource management.

As a councilman, Deeley said he will continue to build on the city’s beauty and attract new businesses to help it grow. One way he would accomplish this is by researching and working with property owners to bring the abandoned buildings in the city up to code. Once that is accomplished, he would recruit potential businesses to rent the space.

Deeley is also a proponent of public safety and would like to see Medical Lake reestablish a permanent police force and hire officers to live within city limits. He said he would find ways to promote local events that would bring visitors to Medical Lake.

Deeley also wants to do his best in providing the needs for residents.

“There’s a real sense of community,” Deeley said. “Everyone likes the small town feeling and I think we can build on that.”

Gary Plumlee

Like Deeley, Gary Plumlee, a former U.S. Marine, has no prior elected official experience. In May 2016, he applied for the vacated No. 5 position formerly held by former councilman Howard Jorgensen. Plumlee, had been out of the country due to work in Baghdad, Iraq during the interview process for the position. After Plumlee wasn’t selected, Councilwoman Jessica Roberts recommended he run for council in 2017.

As a Marine, Plumlee worked with state and foreign diplomats and learned how they spoke with people. Working as a valet at the Davenport Hotel for four years taught him to be approachable with others and not broadcast a sense of “unapproachability,” which he hopes to bring to his role as a council member.

As a councilman, Plumlee would like to help Medical Lake grow. One way he would accomplish this is fixing the buildings that are in disrepair and bringing in more small businesses to Medical Lake.

Another issue for Plumlee is the lack of a city police department. While he understands bringing a full-time police force to Medical Lake would be expensive, he believes having officers in the city would be a positive change.

Plumlee would also encourage younger people to participate in local organizations.

“It’s inspiring to see the local groups, but most members are a bit older,” Plumlee said. “We need younger membership in Medical Lake.”

Ted Olson

While Ted Olson is not a current council member, he is familiar to council, having attended nearly every council meeting in the last year.

Olson has been a homeowner around Medical Lake since 1993 and currently serves on the Fox Ridge Homeowners Association. He was also heavily involved in the union while he was employed with Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and Consolidated Support Services. Working for the city of Pomeroy for 13 years has allowed him to gain insight on how local government works.

Olson cites his communication and negotiating skills as assets he would bring to the council and offers to carefully listen to all sides of an issue and offer a “common sense solution.”

Olson feels that Medical Lake is a nice community, and he would do his best to promote the city, encourage residents to support local businesses and bring in more. However, he feels there needs to be some “fine tuning” to make the city more aesthetically pleasing to visitors.

Olson does not have a specific issue he would focus on if he were elected to the City Council, but he would entertain any and all ideas from residents and his fellow council members to make the city better.

“I’m not afraid to get in there and get my hands dirty,” Olson added.