Editor’s note: The North Coast News has asked four questions of all candidates running for Ocean Shores City Council. The replies will be published in advance of when primary ballots go out July 14, and will be available online at northcoastnews.com.

John Lynn,

City Council Position 1

I am 81 years of age and was a lifelong Tacoma resident before Sally & I sold our business in 2004 and retired to our Ocean Shores vacation home. I was active in my local, state and national professional associations during my 46 years as a businessman in Tacoma. I was elected to the Tacoma School District No. 10 Board of Directors in 1985 and served until 1997. I was also active in a variety of service, fraternal and community organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Clubs and Kiwanis.

I received my BA in Business Administration from Washington State College in 1959 and my MBA from Pacific Lutheran University in 1988.

In Ocean Shores, I have been on the City Council for the past seven years and am a member of Galilean Lutheran Church, Kiwanis, and a volunteer at the Ocean Shores Elementary School and the Chamber of Commerce.

Do you favor the Point Brown Avenue redesign project moving forward, and if so, which of the alternatives do you favor and what suggestions do you have for funding?

As it now sits, Pt. Brown is a dangerous street for pedestrians crossing it or walking along beside it. There is a need for sidewalks along Pt. Brown and safe well-lit pedestrian crossings. The three alternatives all have shortcomings but Alternative No. 3 seems workable.

The City is still in the design stage with our civil engineering consultant. Change is always hard for a community. Our businesses, residents and visitors will face change in different ways. This is strategic planning on a large scale with many challenges ahead.

If you are a visitor staying in a hotel, motel or other short-term housing with on-site parking, you may not see why parking is needed. However, Ocean Shores is a large geographic city seven or more miles in length and two miles in width. Tourists and residents like to walk and bicycle year around, not just in the summer season.

The city faces a dilemma with funding set to expire for seven firefighters. Do you favor retaining these positions, why or why not, and if so, how would suggest they be paid for?

I favor retaining four of the firefighter positions. Our city’s population continues to grow and we need access to emergency care. Police and Fire/EMS services are a primary responsibility of local governments. While Fire Incidents remain low, they are nevertheless important in their need to be met with a quick response.

Our EMS Incident Monthly report shows 587 incidents in the first four months of 2017 with 313 of those involving transport. We have many retired citizens that depend upon access to emergency care. Our closest hospital with emergency service is 30 miles away in Aberdeen. There are a growing number of Multiple calls with at least two fire department personnel with one required to accompany the patient and one to drive the ambulance.

In addition, we have a growing number of visitors each year. Tourism is a major effort for our city and our business community.

What three items of public interest and benefit would you propose as a council member and what three items would you like to see changed in the city of Ocean Shores?

I would like to see us work with the Grays Harbor Community Hospital to bring a clinic to Ocean Shores to at least serve the daily medical needs of our residents.

I would like the City’s boaters to have direct access to the Ocean by establishing a facility that supports this activity such as our own boat launch or by a joint effort with the Quinault Tribe.

I would like to see more planned community activities at our parks.

The City needs to address the runoff from Oyehut that threads its way through our city and ends up in our Grand Canal.

The City needs to invest in Economic Development from our General Fund to assist the promotion of the Convention Center.

The City needs to set up reserve accounts for the Fire Station, Convention Center and other buildings so there will be funds in the future for maintenance and repairs.

Would you continue the city’s contract with the Pinnacle Group to help manage and market the Ocean Shores Convention Center, and what suggestions do you have for the facility in the long term?

We need to attract new potential users to the Convention Center, and to do that, we need an advisor such as Pinnacle with marketing experience. Pinnacle has recommended an on-site marketing position to reach out to new customers as well as to work with existing customers. It is not enough to simply offer an excellent facility in an outstanding seaside location.

The Convention Center needs to close the gap between Operating Income and Operating expenses. This will require higher charges for the facility and food service. Many smaller users will not be able to afford higher charges or want to commit to longer term contracts.

In addition, I believe that the City will have to provide financial support for advertising and promotion and work with the hotels and motels, the Chamber of Commerce, the Quinault Casino and others who are working to bring new and bigger venue users to our City.