Councilor will face current County Chair Marc Boldt in November
VANCOUVER — Clark County Councilor Eileen Quiring announced Friday that she will run for the position of county chair
The Vancouver resident was elected to the Clark County Council in November 2016 and has served on the council since Jan. 1, 2017. Quiring will face current County Chair Marc Boldt, who previously announced his intention to seek re-election, in November’s general election.
“As a current member of the County Council, I’ve had a front row seat in our county government. I have a proven track record of working collaboratively with our council members, staff, and citizen stakeholders,’’ Quiring said in a press release issued Friday. “More bureaucracy and higher taxes is not what our citizens want. I’m ready to lead the county in a new direction that allows our citizens the best opportunities for a bright future.’’
Quiring, a real estate broker, grew up in Clark County and graduated from Battle Ground High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from George Fox University.
“Residents deserve a courageous leader who can articulate the needs of our region when representing our county,” Quiring said. “This is my home. I was raised here. Having been a small business owner, I understand the importance of government efficiencies. Instead of raising taxes, I will focus on economic development opportunities to grow jobs in Southwest Washington.
“Clark County has untapped economic potential to attract new, advanced manufacturing and we need a leader who will make that happen,” she said. “When we create a business-friendly culture at the county, using proactive planning for employment centers, and incentivize the building of infrastructure to create shovel ready parcels, we will attract thousands of new family wage jobs. Everyone deserves the opportunity to work where they live.”
Quiring said rural communities have been left behind due to restrictive policies. Protecting the county’s rural character, and respecting the property rights of farming and forestry families will be among her top priorities.
“Opportunities in the rural communities are every bit as important as in the urban communities and I will support both with equal passion,” Quiring said. “As your county chair, I will ensure citizens’ hard-earned tax dollars are spent wisely as we implement a new era of accountability to deliver top quality regional services including public safety, mental health services, regional parks, land use planning and an effective transportation infrastructure that moves people and goods.”
Prior to being elected to her current four-year term on the County Council, Quiring served on Clark County’s Planning Commission. As a former state senator in Oregon, Quiring worked for fiscal responsibility in the budgeting process.
“People do business with people they know and trust,” she said. “My time in the state legislature gave me the tools necessary to build strong relationships with our eight Clark County cities, local agencies and our partners at the state level. I’ve proven my leadership since day one. Today, I start my journey to get my strong, citizen-first message out to voters county-wide.’’
In August, Rep. Liz Pike announced her intent to run for the county chair position. However, Pike has since withdrawn from the race while announcing her intention to leave political office at the end of her current term in the Washington House of Representatives.
Quiring’s campaign Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/ElectEileenQ/ . Quiring’s campaign website, ElectEileenQ.org, will be available soon. She can be reached by email at Eileen2q@hotmail.com and by phone at (360) 606-0151.
