On the eve of another consequential election, Lake County News is choosing to offer endorsements in a few key races.

Endorsing isn’t something we do often. However, when it comes to races that have particular importance for Lake County, we believe we have some perspective that can be helpful.

We are not making specific endorsements in all races this year, focusing instead on those for which we have particular concerns.

As such, we offer the following recommendations for your consideration.

FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: MIKE THOMPSON

We recommend Congressman Mike Thompson for reelection as the representative for the Fourth Congressional District.

We like Mike. We always have. He has remained a powerful, and approachable, advocate for Lake County, bringing millions of dollars in assistance to local projects, from Safe Routes to Schools to the Burns Valley recreation complex in Clearlake, to name just a very few.

As the first Vietnam veteran to serve in the California Legislature, Thompson carried concerns for veterans with him to Congress. His work for veterans was instrumental in getting a VA Clinic in Clearlake.

We’ve seen him in action for decades, connecting with residents and leaders, and doing his best to help connect people with help and resources.

He’s also remained a powerful voice for the rule of law, a believer in the American Dream and making it available to everyone.

On the local level, Thompson has never given Lake County short shrift. In fact, his staff has been notable for members who have also been advocates for our community.

Leading the charge for Lake County in Thompson’s service, for decades, was Brad Onorato, his deputy chief of staff in the Napa office.

We lost Brad last month to cancer, and while it’s a hard loss, we trust that Thompson, along with Onorato’s many beloved colleagues are going to keep up the good work for Lake County and for the Fourth Congressional District.

In the days ahead, Lake County will need to have all the friends it can get. We know Mike Thompson will be in that group.

We encourage you to give him your vote.

KELSEYVILLE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES: MIKE BROWN

Another Mike to like, and to vote for this November, is Mike Brown, who is running for the Kelseyville Unified School Board.

Brown, a longtime Kelseyville resident, retired in July 2022 after 32 years in education. The last 17 of those years he was principal/superintendent at Lucerne Elementary School.

During his tenure, he oversaw millions of dollars of bond-funded improvements to the Lucerne campus, kept student performance up and engaged meaningfully with the community.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Brown and his staff got students back on campus ahead of other schools around the county. Doing that required foresight, hard work and dedication.

The ability to navigate such a challenge is a tribute to his natural resourcefulness, knowledge of education, budgeting acumen, skill as a leader and genuine care for families and their children.

In addition to all of those skills, he’s a country guy, who is handy with a tractor.

Brown’s qualifications as an educator are vast, and they make him likely the most qualified candidate to ever run for Kelseyville Unified’s board.

We believe he will put his many powerful skills to work in ways that will benefit Kelseyville Unified's students and families for years to come.

Vote for Mike Brown for the Kelseyville Unified School District Board of Trustees.

LAKEPORT CITY COUNCIL: KIM COSTA AND MICHAEL FROIO

On the ballot for the Lakeport City Council this year are Kim Costa and Michael Froio, and we believe city residents should give them their votes because of their work so far.

Both came to city government because they were concerned about issues close to home — right in their own neighborhoods.

In the case of Froio, who was dealing with crime in his neighborhood, he began attending council meetings, was appointed to the Lakeport Planning Commission and then successfully ran for council four years ago. This year he served his first term as mayor.

Costa was appointed to an open seat two years ago after having begun attending meetings to raise her concerns about a proposed housing project’s safety issues next to her neighborhood by Westside Community Park. This year, she has served as mayor pro tem, or vice mayor.

Costa and Froio have both been dedicated council members. They ask thoughtful questions. They do their homework. They are engaged and respond to constituents to help solve problems. They are genuinely concerned for what’s best for Lakeport.

Change takes time. It requires hard work and patience, investments both Costa and Froio have made.

We encourage the community to vote for Kim Costa and Michael Froio on Nov. 5.

YUBA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT TRUSTEE: DOUGLAS HARRIS

The race for the Yuba Community College District, Area 7 trustee this year comes at a particularly crucial time.

The district includes Woodland Community College, whose Lake County Campus in Clearlake has, over the past decade, seen a marked decline in resources and support from the district, according to staff and students alike.

Added to that is the district's failure to reach a new contract with the Faculty Association of the Yuba Community College District, which has been operating without a contract for three years.

The district’s treatment of its faculty resulted in a July decision by the Public Employment Relations Board finding that the district violated the Educational Employment Relations Act.

Into the midst of this increasingly volatile situation comes this year’s election, in which Douglas Harris — who was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2022 — is running for a full term. During his time on the board, Harris has advocated to protect the Lake County Campus, where he taught for 23 years. His wife also has taught at the campus.

Harris’ challenger in the race is Jeffrey Dryden.

Here’s where things get weird.

Dryden is facing trial next month in a case involving misdemeanor charges of sexual battery, battery and annoying or molesting a child under age 18, and two felony charges of attempting to dissuade witnesses.

The charges arise from a 2022 case in which the District Attorney’s Office said Dryden, while he was participating in the Lake County Campus’ culinary program, inappropriately touched a 17-year-old high school student who also was a culinary program participant.

Dryden’s trial is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 4, right around the time the final election results will be certified. It’s unclear if he would be prohibited from serving if convicted of the felony counts.

All things considered, Dryden has no business running for this office. Yet, the local Republican Party still endorsed him. That’s a good example of how partisan politics don’t belong in local races: Just because you’re a registered whatever doesn’t mean you deserve an endorsement.

We urge voters to give Harris his first full term, and to send a message with him to the Yuba College Board of Trustees: It’s time to give your faculty a new contract that ensures they are no longer among the lowest-paid community college educators in the state.

A WORD ABOUT ALL RACES

If you’ve stuck with us this far, we’d like to offer a few more items for readers’ consideration.

If we want the government to work at every level, in every race and in every office, constituents have to stay involved.

We all need to talk to local leaders and engage with them in constructive and meaningful ways, to offer support when necessary and also to make sure they understand community priorities. Not being engaged sends as loud a message as being heavily involved.

Everyone has a right to be heard; any public official who picks and chooses the voices they listen to in order to find those who reinforce their personal points of view need to be sent on to other activities.

As all of us look at local races, we need to ask if the person running for an office plans to truly represent Lake County or their own personal interests?

Will they do the work faithfully and well?

Do they take the long view when deciding on issues and projects, or is it all about the grab-the-cash-and-run view that has gotten Lake County in trouble before?

If we want Lake County to be the best it can be, it will take all of us, from the ballot box to the dais. In the end, it’s a collaborative effort.

However you decide, please make sure to vote in the Nov. 5 election.