In a way, it’s unfortunate that Port Angeles City Council candidate Jacob Oppelt saw fit to drop out of the race.
In actuality, his official statement says he merely “suspended” his campaign “indefinitely,” leaving cynics to wonder whether he might re-enter the race after the public forums are over.
Mr. Oppelt’s actions weren’t entirely surprising, for here is a candidate who has steadfastly avoided facing public scrutiny and questions ever since city voters became aware of, uh, shall we say, law enforcement “problems” from his past.
Nor was the timing of his departure a surprise: He was scheduled to appear in a public forum at the weekly meeting of the Port Angeles Business Association the very next day.
So be it.
The fortunate aspect of this whole situation is that now his opponent, Mike French, is the uncontested candidate and will be seated on the council following November’s elections.
It’s worth noting that Mr. French appeared before PABA on Oct. 3 and did a superb job of laying out his vision for Port Angeles.
Moreover, he fielded questions for the better part of an hour, clearly indicating that this smart, personable young businessman has done his homework.
He knows the problems facing our city and is prepared to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
It all adds up to a big plus for Port Angeles residents.
Paul Martin,
Port Angeles