A woman who would be mayor

Sorry again, about the lateness of the blog. I don't know what's going on. For a time, I blamed the slowness on my laptop. Then, I came upstairs to the main computer and still waited forever to get into the blogger inner sanctum. Rather than sitting like I did yesterday, I went out and cleaned barns.

The blogger inner sanctum has finally allowed my entrance, so this morning, I'm going to post this week's River Journal column, complete with all unedited facts provided by Gretchen Albrecht-Heller in a recent Q and A interview. So, here's a chance for folks to get to know a little more about the lady who is opposing Mayor Ray Miller in this year's Nov. 6 Sandpoint city election.

Take it away, Gretchen:

Mayoral Candidate Gretchen Hellar Q and A—full-length interview.

Love Notes

by Marianne Love

for The River Journal

September, 2007

Gretchen “Ginger” Albrecht-Hellar would like to serve as Sandpoint’s mayor. As Mayor Ray Miller’s sole opposition in his quest for another four-year term in the Nov. 6 city election, Hellar views the mayoral position as an opportunity to utilize her people and problem-solving skills to create a more positive, inclusive atmosphere in the workings of city government and among its constituents.

In her own words, candidate Gretchen Hellar (www. Gretchenhellar.com) discloses in this exclusive River Journal Q and A her motivations, beliefs and hopes for an opportunity to serve as Sandpoint’s next mayor.

Full name: Gretchen Albrecht-Hellar

Nickname: Ginger (when I was a kid with red hair and an “attitude”)

Age: 64

Born when and to whom: Detroit, Michigan

Linden E. Albrecht and Lois Land-Albrecht (both deceased)

Sibling: Lin Albrecht (deceased)

Describe your parents and how they influenced you.

My father was a mechanical engineer and a “Herbert Hoover” Republican. My mother was an English/drama teacher, an Edgar Guest-style poet, and an “Adlai Stevenson” Democrat.

My father was a calm, rational, engineer type who was a steadying influence on our family (especially my mother who was always a whirlwind of activity and had a dramatic, sometimes comedic, outlook on life). He insisted on careful analysis and reflection before acting and was constantly asking “Did you think about the consequences before you did what you did?”

He was a disciplinarian but in the sense that his most scathing punishment was to tell me, “I’m disappointed in you,” if I engaged in some activity he deemed inappropriate. Believe me that was more upsetting that had I been physically punished.

He disliked egoistic self-aggrandizement and always maintained that if what you did were truly noteworthy people would know about it without you having to brag about it. His calm, deliberative approach to life influences me to this day. I never saw him lose his temper, heard him raise his voice, nor say anything hurtful to any of us. Quite a model to follow!!!!

My mother had a zest for the quirks of life and enjoyed the surprise of the unexpected. She was very non-judgmental of others and would always rise to the defense of the “underdog”. If my brother or I ever said that we didn’t like someone or that someone was not a good person, she would say that we should be more concerned about whether people liked and respected us than trying to “put down” someone else. She was an amateur actress and playwrite who was involved in local theater. She was active politically not only at the local level but at the state level when I was growing up.

She was an active Democrat in a community that was even more conservative than Idaho.

They both valued education. Dinner conversation usually revolved around political issues or some type of “off the wall” idea. One question I remember was “try to describe nothing without referring to something” Both were avid readers and several times a week we would all gather in the living room with our favorite books and just read. When my brother and I were younger those evenings would revolve around my mother reading Greek mythology to us. (Her mother was a Latin teacher and also a scholar of the Greek classics).

Describe your childhood.

I was raised in Pittsburgh, Pa. My family life is described above, I believe. My early interests included sports of all kinds—especially softball. My high school had a strong sports program for girls and I was pitcher (as well as clean up hitter) for our intramural league “pennant winner.” I was an avid diver and ice skater. I had great hopes of playing professional softball until it was pointed out to me that there were no professional leagues for women at that time. I was also active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship and volunteered at the local home for senior citizens.

My parents always rented a small cottage on Lake Erie and I would spend my summers is a very lazy way—eating honey-butter sandwiches on the beach. This lake community was the location of my most memorable experience as a child.

Most memorable childhood experience:

Every Friday night the whole lake community would gather together to play bingo. The prizes were candy bars, beach towels, and so on. The grand prize of the evening was a live turkey. The usual outcome was that a family had a turkey dinner. I was about 12 and I won the live turkey. Rather than turning it over to the resident butcher at the end of the evening, I tearfully requested that I be allowed to take him home for at least one night.

My parents capitulated. He was to be left outside the cabin, but in the wee hours of the morning I rescued him from the back yard and took his cage into my bedroom. Unfortunately, the latch on the cage came undone and about 6AM I was awakened by a cacophony of sounds including guttural gobbles and screams. The bird had my mother cornered and my father was trying to figure out where to grab the beast. I, of course, started screaming not to hurt “Alvin” (my chosen name for my new pet), and my brother contributed gales of laughter.

He was finally captured and re-caged. (The turkey not my brother.) My father announced that the next stop would be the butcher. I replied that I would never eat again if Alvin were killed. Midst my tears and recriminations my father took Alvin away, never to be seen again. That night we had hotdogs for dinner.

Three adjectives others use to describe you:

Creative---I chose this because I enjoy the creative arts such as painting and poetry, and enjoy seeking creative ways in which to solve problems.

Energetic—I like to keep busy and often seem to juggle several things at once. I think the current term for that is “multi-tasking”.

Determined—I work hard at whatever tasks are before me and do my homework prior to acting. I handle problems and issues as they arise rather than just hoping “they will go away”. Issues ignored merely grow more severe. Issues resolved leads to a feeling of accomplishment and empowerment.

Marital status: divorced

Education: B.S. social work, graduate degree Sociology, Michigan State University

Career: Co-founder and owner of Available Hardware Supply (wholesale hardware distribution company) with branches in Post Falls, Seattle, and Boise with 62 employees and over $12 million in sales when sold in 1993.

Other positions held include Social Science Research Associate (Denver Research Institute), Assistant Professor of Sociology at University of Hawaii.

Most exciting travel:

Motorcycle trip through rural Japan. I had never been on a motorcycle and never out of the U.S. We spent most of our time on the back roads of Japan, spending time and staying with farm families, enjoying “non-tourist” contact with small town folks, and a map-free “let’s take that road” experience. It was a completely non-scripted trip. From Japan we traveled to New Zealand and again just followed our noses. No plans, no destination, just memorable experiences.

Present interests beside politics:

Becoming a more proficient watercolorist and learning how to express ideas as well as objects in my paintings.

Gardening, focusing on seeing how much of my food can be produced in a city garden and using native plants to create a garden look that says North Idaho not just garden.

Trying to live simply by divesting myself of things that I don’t need; taking care of things eats up a lot of time that can be used more constructively.

My role models:

My parents and qualities I see in my friends that I admire.

Favorite meal:

Fresh tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, fresh out of the oven home made bread, corn from the “corn man” at farmer’s market, and grilled baby potatoes from my garden.

Favorite music:

Blues: artists Nina Simone, Muddy Waters, and all the old “slow” blues singers

Not sure of the genre name but my favorite artist is Leonard Cohen.

Routine day:

Let dogs out, make a pot of tea, read the paper and do the cryptogram, survey the “back 40”, take a walk, usually attend some meeting, dabble in my art studio, and read in the evening.

Personal attributes and attitudes:

I see myself as open-minded---having a love of learning, and being someone who does what they say they are going to do. Of course, only others can say if I have those attributes.

Attitudes: I would describe myself as a realistic idealist. I believe in the ability of people to be fair and compassionate but realize that sometimes “life” gets in the way. I hope I demonstrate fairness and compassionate when I see myself as well as others not living up to those ideals.

Basic life lesson learned:

Whenever I unintentionally harm myself or others by a misspoken word or act, it is because I let my ego get in the way—usually protecting my self-concept of who or what I am. If I stop and think about whether I am being defensive or self-aggrandizing before I act, I usually will make a better decision than if I merely react.

Strategy for handling conflict and change:

Conflict, if it remains constructive, is really a learning opportunity and a chance to practice patience and respect for differing opinions. The key is to ensure that the conflict remains constructive and does not generate into hostility or flow beyond the bounds of the specific issue. An important approach is to listen, to try to understand why the other person is so convinced they are correct, and to attempt to find some common ground. Obviously, both parties think the issue is important, or there would be no conflict. That in itself constitutes common ground.

The next step is to insist that the discussion not become personal or accusatory. Stepping back and refusing to engage in personal recriminations, name-calling or accusations is mandatory and can be done if one refuses to respond in kind. In a town our size keeping conflict constructive is extremely important.

The person with whom you disagreed on Monday may be a dinner guest of a mutual friend on Friday along with you. Believing that most people want what they think is best for the community, even if you have another vision, is the place to start. We have to live together, understand that people come at issues with different perspectives and concerns, and that if no resolution is possible we can agree to disagree without letting it affect other areas in which we must work together.

Change is a learning opportunity—a chance to learn new responses, try new ideas and discover how others have effectively or ineffectively dealt with similar issues. I find change exciting not frightening. It is an opportunity for personal growth. Indeed, it requires it. Change in one area, however, affects all of the other relationships in the system.

(Marianne, this is an example of what I mean--Let’s take the changes occurring in our community, for example. People are flocking to Sandpoint for reasons ranging from our beautiful environment to the desire to escape overcrowded conditions. Some of these people are second homeowners not permanent residents. This has provided a boost to our local economy, helped local businesses grow and thrive, energized our construction industry, and provided vitality to our community.

All these are good things, but they have also affected other areas in a negative way. This outside demand for housing and land has forced our land costs to soar, making it difficult to find affordable housing. Some of our major exporting businesses who make their profits selling outside the area such as Lighthouse, Coldwater Creek, Quest Aircraft Co. and others as well as institutions and businesses that serve the local population such as the schools, local governments and the hospital have found it increasingly difficult to recruit employees because of the cost of housing which is affected by land costs.

Our infrastructure, designed to meet the needs of the community, has been stretched to meet the added demand).

Handling change means not only encouraging its positive aspects but also attempting to reduce potentially harmful aspects. Thinking ahead and being proactive helps ensure that the positive aspects of change do not blind us to potential problems created in other areas as a consequence of that change. Some folks don’t like the change associated with this growth but they might well dislike even more the changes associated with a dying community.

What I like most about living in Sandpoint:

The people.

What prompted to you run for mayor?

I think we can do better—better in the way we handle our differences, better in the way we formulate local policies, and more efficient in using our resources and tax dollars.

In October 2003, the current mayor was quoted in the Daily Bee responding to the question of why Sandpoint is better than it was 10 years ago, “Sandpoint is better now because it is becoming more unified instead of divided, people are working together instead of in opposition.” That is certainly not true today. It can be true again with different leadership.

How and why would the residents and businesses of Sandpoint benefit with you as mayor from 2008-2012? Describe your dream for Sandpoint four years from the time you take office.

During my term I hope that Sandpoint has become proactive rather than reactive when faced with change, working in an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration, not the non-constructive conflict all too frequent today. I know how to deal effectively with change and growth.

As co-owner of a business that grew from zero employees to over 60, from small local distributor to a distribution business with branches in Seattle and Boise, I managed the problems associated with rapid growth while maximizing its opportunities. I learned how to ensure that growth was balanced and did not degrade the qualities that made it possible. Those same skills are necessary now to handle the growth of our community.

How do you propose to establish a sense of unity and cooperation among the diverse groups who have passionately different ideas about directions the town should be moving?
It is the mayor’s responsibility to encourage and facilitate an atmosphere of collaboration not conflict. We have to recognize that, regardless of our differences, most people want what is best for our town. I would foster an atmosphere in which each side recognizes that the other has valid concerns and that all approaches have downsides.

I would bring diverse groups together to hammer out solutions that all can live with. That requires listening to all sides, respecting the right to differ, and acknowledging that one side does not have all the answers. The mayor needs to actively lead this process.

What new and workable ideas for moving Sandpoint forward while retaining its uniqueness do you propose?

With a new comprehensive plan based on community discussions we will soon know where Sandpoint citizens want to be in 20 years and what we want to preserve over time. We will have a blueprint for progress that enhances our uniqueness instead of threatening it. In developing the plan, citizen participation is being encouraged, people with diverse views are sitting at the same table and either agreeing or 'agreeing to disagree' without hostility, in an enjoyable community process. I will work to implement the vision that comes out of this, and work constructively with the community to prepare Sandpoint to meet its future.

Which issues within the community will get your most enthusiastic attention, and how will you address them?

Sandpoint is growing and will continue to grow. My major concern is to have growth benefit the community. Development of a new Comprehensive Plan is currently underway. If done correctly, it will address economic development, neighborhood preservation, transportation, green spaces and parks, infrastructure and many other community issues as they relate to each other and affect our future. Ensuring that the plan is based on citizen input, integrates all of the above issues, and is actively used to review current ordinances and develop new ones will be my major focus.

Why should people vote for you rather than Ray Miller, who's had several years of experience on the council and as mayor?

Because I will solve problems, not create them. First, I have extensive business experience particularly in the area of budgets, fiscal management, and operations. I know I can run a successful, efficient organization not only in the private sector but also in the public arena.

Second, I have experience in objectively evaluating the effectiveness of governmental programs. While at Denver Research Institute my job was to determine which programs should continue, how they could be improved, and which ones should be de-funded. Finally, one of our major problems today is that differences between the mayor and the council become tainted with hostility, personal recrimination, and anger. An open, respectful management style will go along way in reducing this unacceptable situation.

What basic strategies do you intend to follow as you proceed through the day-to-day responsibilities as Sandpoint's mayor?

Administrative responsibilities: Priorities need to be set and reflected in the budget, objective measurable goals need to be developed and used to assess progress toward those goals, interdepartmental cooperation needs to be formalized, and staff recommendations need to be valued and considered in the formulation of policies.

Council relations: the council members need to be involved in identifying issues, proposing solutions to those problems, and be kept informed about the progress of their directives. Every council member should have access to all the information needed to make informed decisions. It is the mayor’s responsibility to ensure that this happens.

Citizen relations: Be available, be out in the community, be open and honest, and bring important issues to the community before a decision is made. I will publicize issues before decisions are made through local media and the city website and I will make it easy for citizens to comment on those issues. Too often people feel the city is doing something “to them” rather than with them. This does not have to be.

How do you intend to address the ongoing conflicts associated with the Byway?

This is an example of an issue that has degenerated into non-constructive hostility and anger. This is a state project and realistically the city has little influence in what ITD does. There are local options to addressing our traffic problems. Let’s get busy on them at our city level.

Your own question here: Some folks have accused you of being anti-growth or no-growth. Are you?

Absolutely not! A growing community is a vibrant community not only economically but also in all aspects of community life. But we must ensure that we are not only getting bigger but also getting better.

We must ensure that our existing businesses thrive and grow even as we attempt to recruit new businesses. We must ensure that growth is balanced and the benefits are shared among all segments of the community.

We must ensure that growth increases options and choice not constricts them. Most importantly, we must ensure that growth doesn’t threaten those community assets that allowed for growth to occur in the first place.

We have tools that will help us to do this but it will require all sectors of the community to work together towards the goal of building a better not just bigger community.

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