What is Executive Experience? What is my Experience?

I have heard that the current appointed Sequim City Councilors are saying that their challengers do not have any "executive experience," referring to themselves as the "E" team. I guess they think they have more experience than "us." I am not sure what experience they are referring to. My first thought when I heard their claim was, "executive" is literally the first word in my job title- executive director. I am not sure that those who are saying these things have bothered to know any facts about myself or the other candidates.

Here are my opening remarks from the SGGL Forum on October 4th, 2021 where I address some of my experience:

Hi, my name is Vicki Lowe. I am running for Sequim City Council Position #3.

City government should:

· Focus on the needs of our community,

· Be transparent in decision making

· Act fiscally responsible

We need solutions that work for our community, and I know this community. I have lived here my entire life; my family has been here for generations. I am currently on the Board of Directors for Peninsula Behavioral Health and the City of Sequim Planning Commission (since April 2021). I have been involved with many community committees and boards over my life, including sports and band, family planning, community network and more.

At the state level, I am a commissioner with the Washington State Women’s Commission and co-chair of the WSWC Health Committee. I was recently appointed to Washington State’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Taskforce- a taskforce I worked over the past few years to establish. I am also awaiting an appointment for the Universal Health Care Commission established in the legislative session last winter. I am a member of the Governor’s Indian Health Advisory Board, which I helped to establish under the Washington Indian Health Improvement Act. Through my work at the state level, I am familiar with the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and basics of how governmental meetings should be run. I have never held a government elected position but have worked with many elected officials throughout my career.

I see the ability to listen, hear and understand people and their perspectives as an important leadership skill. It is important to understand that people have different perspectives based on their life experiences so our understandings of the world might be different. While the needs of the community members might be diverse, solutions can be built from those needs.

We need to root out disinformation from our community and focus on what is needed to keep our economy going, ensure access to affordable housing for those who are already living here, increase local access to medical care (primary and specialty) and find harmony between the environment and growth.

I am a consensus builder. The balance between providing governmental programs and services with funding is something that needs constant attention. The City of Sequim has knowledgeable and professional staff who have kept our city running well. We need a council to support and value their work. *

I hope you will vote for me on November 2nd.

Because of time, I cut this out of my opening statement and added it to my closing statement so it is not in the recording as part of my opening statement but wanted to add it back here because it is important to note.