[Letter by Johnathan Rosen, North Bend, WA. Views expressed are those of the author, not the Living Snoqualmie website. You may submit letters of support for your candidate to info@livingsnoqualmie.com]
As I step off the city council after 18 years, people ask me what my favorite part was of being on council. I usually answer with a few things, but always on that list has been getting to know and work with Brenden Elwood.
Brenden is by far one of the most effective and committed council members we have. It has been a privilege to work with him these past eight years. Brenden has taken communication and action to heart every day he is on council. There is no one who listens and works to protect the community as much as he does.
When the administration was pushing a sewer expansion onto residents who couldn’t afford it, it was Brenden who immediately jumped to action to stop this unfair burden. When there was a push for housing out near Tollgate and Meadowbrook, it was Brenden leading the fight to protect our vision of open space on the west side of town. And when there was an attempt to rezone large sections of our community to high-density condos, once again, it was Brenden who stood tall against this push. When community members wanted to see more parks, it was Brenden who worked for new bike parks and trails. When community members wanted more support for local non-profit groups, it was Brenden who helped push through more funding during Covid. When community members wanted “real” affordable housing, you guessed it, Brenden worked tirelessly to see that through.
What you are seeing here is a pattern of someone who cares but, most importantly, someone who genuinely listens.
While often Brenden and I come at problems from different angles, there is nobody who I admire or trust more than him. He has made me a better council member. He pushes you to look beyond your comfort zone for solutions, but most importantly, he listens to your thoughts and positions and constantly works to find solutions that encompass all those concerns.
Brenden is what we all hope for in a public servant, a caring, compassionate person who is constantly trying to put himself in your shoes to see things from your perspective and then work tirelessly to find solutions for you and our community.
It has been an absolute privilege to work with Brenden. I feel lucky to call him my colleague and, most importantly, to call him my friend. Please consider joining me in voting for Brenden Elwood on November 7th.
-Johnathan Rosen North Bend, WA
