QUILCENE — Local businessman Greg Brotherton has announced his plan to run for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, District 3 post.
Brotherton is the principal owner of Discovery Bay Village Store, Disco Bay Detour and Sea Change Cannabis.
In 2011, he moved to Jefferson County to help re-establish the last gas station in Quilcene with his family, and he was involved in opening the Quilcene Village Store.
Incumbent Kathleen Kler is not running for re-election.
Brotherton was elected to a 4-year term on the Quilcene School Board in 2013 and chaired the Quilcene Fair and Parade Board from 2014-2018. The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce named him Young Professional of the Year in 2017.
“My wife, Stacey, and I lived in north Seattle and wanted to have a farm,” he said.
“I quit my IT job. Moving to the county was a way to connect with our food and our environment. We wanted to come out here.”
The couple has a daughter, Sage, who attends the Quilcene Pearl Program, an alternate learning program.
“I’ve been raised to believe that service to your community is important, and local change is change that you can make. If you see something you think you can change, then you should try to do it,” he said.
“I’ve built a lot of bridges in Quilcene with my community action and I hope to build on that work as commissioner.”
Brotherton believes that a big challenge the county faces is to attract young families to District 3.
“We need to create jobs, innovate, and make this a livable, affordable place,” he said. “I believe we can find ways to achieve that while preserving the region’s natural resources and our unique character.”
“Honestly, in the third district, we have land-use issues, not red or blue issues. Most of the issues faced by the county are non-partisan,” Brotherton said. “With small institutional changes, we can make some things happen.
“Developing the ability for innovative development of rural environments is really important to me. I’m looking forward to the process of getting out and finding what’s important to everyone.
“I’ve worked with people across the political spectrum. Our different politics were never an issue. None of the decisions we had to make collaboratively were affected by political differences.”
Brotherton said he is eager to do this job.
“I’ll hit the streets in the next few months and meet the people I don’t know to learn what’s important to them. I have a good understanding of the issues, a set of skills, and the good humor to keep things positive.”
Currently, there is one other announced candidate, Ryan McAllister from Brinnon. Only District 3 voters will cast ballots in the primary election Aug. 7. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election Nov. 6 for a county-wide vote.
Filing week is May 14-18 for candidates for district court judge, District 3 county commissioner, and county sheriff, assessor, auditor, clerk, prosecuting attorney-coroner and treasurer.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.