Two city council hopefuls who have never run for office before — but have both spent years supporting the campaigns of others — are now finding it’s their time to shine.
Kay Kenneweg and Harolynne Bobis will be challenging each other for Position 1 on the Langley City Council, which is currently occupied by Christy Korrow.
Korrow will not be seeking re-election this year.
Kenneweg said she decided to run in order to work with the other council members, the mayor and city staff toward a future involving citizens, businesses, nonprofits, churches and art venues as a way to increase music and entertainment activities.
If elected, she would prioritize talking to citizens and business owners and addressing any concerns they may have with the city. A proponent for government transparency, she hoped to address elected officials at the county and state level with her concerns.
“While on Whidbey Island I have gotten kids to register to vote, which is a passion of mine, being a teacher and advocate for our democracy,” she said.
Bobis was inspired to run for office after joining the city’s Dismantling Systemic Racism advisory group, which has been in existence for about a year. She cited dissatisfaction with how the council and the mayor previously acted. With her experiences, she believed she could make a difference as a city council member.
“And then when I learned that there’s never been a person of color running for city council in Langley, it was on,” she said. “I like being sort of mischievous. Good trouble, John Lewis called it. And changing people’s perceptions is a good one.”
Both candidates agreed that supporting Langley businesses is paramount.
“It is important to have communication between small businesses and the chamber of commerce and continue to strengthen that communication so that businesses are supported and thrive in an era of environmental changes and the impact they will have on the town,” Kenneweg said.
And in some cases, supporting the economy intersects with other issues, such as affordable housing.
“One of the things I want to do in Langley is help small businesses meet that $15 an hour minimum wage and yet have housing so people can live nearby,” Bobis said.
Kenneweg listed many other areas she wants to focus on, including the effects of climate change on the city and future generations, the promotion of fiscal responsibility, emergency preparedness in all areas of the city and advocacy for community members who do not feel represented.
Bobis, on the other hand, has pared down her concerns. She feels strongly about the environment and making Langley a more family-oriented place to live with activities for youth. She has been trying to become more cognizant by doing her own research.
“I’m doing as much learning as I can about the issues facing Langley. I have my own issues as a resident and I have my own opinions, but I’ve been known to be wrong,” she said with a laugh.
Earlier this year, Bobis and two other candidates running for city council seats, Gail Fleming and Rhonda Salerno, announced that they had aligned themselves into something known as a slate.
But now, Bobis said the group has stopped using the term, feeling it does not fully represent them.
The three women do, however, have plans to list all of their names on one campaign sign to raise awareness about Fleming’s write-in candidacy. They have also been meeting with city officials to speak about different aspects of Langley, from utilities to critical areas to the budget.
Kenneweg responded to the slate announcement by saying that she thought that everyone on the council should have a voice.
“I believe Langley has more diverse people than the slate considers Langley to be,” she said.
Kenneweg
