My name is Anne Schuster. I served as a Benton County Commissioner from 2015 to 2019, and I am writing to share what I learned from doing the job, and why I believe, because of my experiences, that Helen Higgins is the best candidate for my vote and yours.
As a Commissioner, you have to listen to as many people as possible. Go to where they are. Government can be intimidating to many people because there isn’t an easy, comfortable way to get heard, so they sometimes won’t let you know what their needs are. So many voices – LGBTQ, BIPOC, rural populations, and North Albany – go unheard. I think Helen Higgins has the best potential to meet these challenges. She has spent the last 16 years successfully internalizing the needs of people that may otherwise not be heard, and then motivating the people with resources to help.
While listening is essential, so is keeping the community informed about what the County is doing, because communication goes both ways. You need to be a cheerleader for the county — able to explain why what is happening is of value. A constituent once told me that they appreciate what the county does, but they were happy not to need many of its services, like parole and probation, and bridge repair. There are many other services that they should actually value – such as parks and natural areas, the county fair, and the list goes on.
I would also tell a Commissioner to go after the gnarliest issues – even if they aren’t popular or easy, and even if you sometimes end up with a target on your back. Right now, nothing else comes close to climate change as an issue in need of addressing. The county is working on internal solutions, but they need to be engaging the entire county.
Remember, action is the name of the game. It’s better to try something and fail than to go through a drawn out process just to assure success. Helen has the instincts to know when action is called for, and is open enough to squarely appreciate concrete evidence of the outcomes, including the views of others about those outcomes.
I truly believe the culture within county staff – our public employees – sets the tone. Personally, when I was serving, I wanted to hear from our employees one-on-one. I became friends with many. Now, almost four years after I’ve left office, I would like to see a return to better communication within the organization. Helen can do this; she has set a fantastic tone amongst her coworkers for decades and always gets great results.
It’s all a dance. Deciding priorities, discussing legalities, convening partners, collecting opinions, taking action. I think Helen is a great dancer!
For all these reasons I am confident Helen Higgins is the right candidate for our next County Commissioner. Please join me in voting for her.
– Anne Schuster served as a Benton County Commissioner from 2015 to 2019
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