Olympia City Council chooses six people to interview for open seat. Who are they?
The November election was a milestone in Olympia’s leadership history, but it also left a vacant seat on the City Council when Dontae Payne was elected mayor. The City Council met Tuesday and approved six out of 16 applicants to move forward in the interview process for Position 6.
The applications were scored and ranked by each council member and then compiled. From first to sixth, they were Carole Richmond, Kelsey Hulse, Shairus Palotil, Courtney Cecale, Robert Vanderpool, and Amna Qazi. They will be interviewed Jan. 8 in two randomly selected panels of three.
Applicants were required to provide a cover letter and resume, as well as answer eight questions. One of the questions asked what their three highest priorities are for the City, and how they would propose those issues be addressed.
Richmond, a retired policy and research analyst for Washington state government, began working for the Department of Ecology in 1986. She will have served three terms on the Olympia Planning Commission by the end of March.
Richmond said her top priority is housing affordability for renters and buyers, as well as diverse housing options for all major demographic and income groups in the city.
Hulse is the vice president for government relations at Strategy 360, and a former candidate for the Thurston County Commission. In her application, Hulse said she helped the Combined Fund Drive and the Thurston County Food Bank to develop new fundraising channels to reach new audiences and continue to provide services. She also worked with Puget Sound Energy and local and tribal governments to identify programs and resources to help them reach their goals.
Hulse said the first priority she believes the city needs to address is budget sustainability. She said without addressing this priority first, it will become more and more difficult to meet the city’s ambitious goals and the community’s service expectations.
Palotil said in his application he has more than 23 years of experience in information technology, consulting across a handful of countries. He’s currently employed as a management consultant at Cayzen Technologies. He said since his arrival in the U.S., he’s exclusively lived in Washington, and he’s a board member at the Islamic Center of Olympia, as well as a member of a number of nonprofits in the area.
Palotil said his top priority is addressing homelessness and affordable housing. He said the city needs to invest in developing affordable housing to increase the overall supply. Palotil also said the city needs to provide support services, such as mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment, to address the underlying issues that contribute to homelessness.
Cecale currently serves as the Department of Ecology’s Environmental Justice senior policy adviser. Previously a research professor, she specialized in understanding the lived experiences of people affected by climate justice issues, including their intersections with other injustices.
Cecale said her top priority is climate change adaptation and mitigation.
“Climate change threatens so many of Olympia’s wonderful (and essential) qualities,” she said. “Sea level rise threatens local character, arts, and important historical sites. It threatens key infrastructure and essential services _ and will put unprecedented strain on our emergency response system, health care system, and other interconnected social systems.”
Vanderpool works in the Department of Labor and Industries’ support services program. He holds two degrees from The Evergreen State College, an undergraduate degree in political history and a master’s degree in public administration.
Vanderpool said his top priority is the city’s built environment.
“Olympia’s recent policies have significantly advanced aspects like housing, density, Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs), transportation, the Home Fund, the Missing Middle, and parking minimum reforms,” he said. “These changes aim to support average incomes and transition to neighborhoods that are more walkable, safer, and accessible.”
Qazi is a commissioner for Serve Washington, an AmeriCorps program. She was previously commissioner of Human Relations in Los Angeles for five years.
Qazi said her top priority is combating homelessness and bringing affordable housing to the city. She said she supports developing and supporting programs that provide shelter, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment.
