Kate Dean

One month into her fourth year as county commissioner, Kate Dean, who represents District 1, feels like she just got started.

Dean announced her plan to run for re-election as commissioner on Feb. 13 at a gathering of the Jefferson County Democrats.

She said it wasn’t a hard decision to make, even with a series of life-changing events facing her in 2020, such as helping her teenage son look at colleges.

“I think that is the reality of working families who live here,” she said. “It’s a hustle. And that’s part of what motivates me.”

Dean, who is the third woman to ever be elected to the Jefferson County Commission, was the first in several generations of commissioners to represent working families. Going to school meetings, helping her two teens with homework and college applications, all while attending public meetings, reading up on new local ordinances and lobbying for Jefferson County’s interests in the state legislative process are all part of Dean’s everyday life.

“I’m doing all the things that you have to do in normal life,” she said. “I’m interacting with the schools and the community in a very real, day-to-day way.”

She hopes to keep the momentum of her first four years going with another term, looking toward successes, like reinvigorating the Port Hadlock sewer project as inspiration to continue. Working with county staff to restructure the sewer project into a more affordable plan and get buy-in from local landowners is one thing she’s proud to have helped accomplish in her first term, she said.

“Infrastructure is so critical for economic development,” she said. “We’re not there yet, but we’re further along than we have been in many years.”

Dean also looks at the success of building new sections of the Olympic Discovery Trail as inspiration for another potential four years.

“We’re getting close to having secured significant chunks of land for the next section,” she said.

And she hopes that in the next four years, the county government can channel its employees’ creativity and ambition into more community-improvement projects such as the Olympic Discovery Trail or helping local organizations build more affordable housing.

“In the last few years the county has finally shifted out of the mindset of recession,” she said. “I would like to be a part of a shift away from the poverty mindset into a mindset of change and innovation and opportunity. Government can’t be out on the edge taking risks, but I would like for staff to feel that if they have ambition and want to make something happen, that they are supported.”

Dean also pointed out some of the challenges she faced. One of the hardest moments of her commissioner career so far was her “no” vote on the county’s new shooting range ordinances, which brought a lot of differing opinions from those who oppose and support gun ranges.

“Generally the commissioners try to come to a common ground,” she said. “I had to vote my conscience on that … I couldn’t get to ‘yes’ with my team, and it hurt a lot of feelings.”

For her constituents, however, this “no” vote represented how they felt.

“We all should be impressed how sensitive and knowledgeable she is to the needs of our county,” said George Yount, a Port Townsend resident who attends commissioner meetings on a regular basis.

Beyond the shooting range debate, Dean has also tried to tackle the U.S. Navy’s impact on Jefferson County by building relationships with Navy officers and commanders in the Puget Sound region.

“I have real misgivings about increased militarization of our region and of our national defense budget,” she said. “The position I’m in offers me a place at the table where conversations are being had about the place of military in our community.”

Dean said she isn’t “getting cozy” with the Navy, nor does she pretend to have much influence over the Navy’s decision-making.

“I think it’s only through forming relationships that I can have any influence,” she said. “I’m trying to build trust and dialogue and keep lines of communication open.”

Candidate filing week does not begin until May 11. The Leader reached out to the Jefferson County Republicans, but did not receive an answer as to the possibility of an opponent for Dean.

Candidates can file any time between May 11-15 in person at the Jefferson County Courthouse, by mail or online. More information can be found at co.jefferson.wa.us/elections.