I have volunteered on more than 10 local campaigns over the past 40 years. I have noticed that a candidate who has begun preparing for the position long before election season is a stronger candidate on the campaign trail and does a more effective job once elected or re-elected. I live in District 5, and have been paying close attention to the race for Supervisor between Jessica Pyska and Daniel “Boone“ Bridges. I watched the Jan. 10 forum streamed on the PEG channel (you can find it on YouTube). I also had an opportunity to interview both candidates as part of the Lake County Association of Realtors’ Legislative Committee.

I was struck by Jessica Pyska’s comments at the Jan. 10 forum that she had begun preparing for the supervisor position two years in advance of the 2020 election when she was first elected. I thought that showed a remarkable amount of dedication to earning a job. Since then, it seems to me that we have been getting our money’s worth: she devotes more than full time to the position. Jessica Pyska has built upon the community organizing skills she honed after the Valley Fire and in obtaining grant funding for Cobb after the fire, and as Supervisor she has helped to expand grant funding for all of us in Lake County. Her predecessor had been opposed to travel outside of our area to lobby for funding, but Jessica Pyska has successfully brought dollars home from trips to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Jessica Pyska seems to take a broad view and looks to the future, and I believe we need that.

She also has shown that she listens and responds to her constituents. I have learned from Jessica Pyska that the whole renaming of Kelseyville issue was taken out of our collective hands when the healing organization filed for the name change with the federal government. Once those papers were filed, we no longer were in control of either the process or of the outcome. We can have input through an email to BGNEXEC@usgs.gov and over the next few months, we will have an opportunity to participate in the outreach that will be conducted by the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names.

In the meantime, it seems that our elected supervisor is incorrectly being accused of spearheading the name change process and chastised for not taking a stand on either side. Good leaders don't divide their communities; they encourage all voices to be heard and they are there after a decision is made to assist with the healing process. Staking out a strong position and siding with one side of the Kelseyville community, as her opponent has done, will alienate the other side and will do nothing to help deal with the outcome; in fact I believe it will make the aftermath even more difficult.

Mr. Bridges has shown a surprising lack of preparation for this job he is applying for. I was disappointed that he didn’t have even a basic grasp of the Middle Creek marsh project that has been ongoing for close to 20 years and could have a major impact on the quality of the lake water. His body language during the Jan. 10 forum conveyed to me a sense of impatience and unwillingness to listen to his opponent (such as eye rolling, checking his phone, dismissive gestures). Don’t take my word for it — you can see it for yourself on YouTube. Supervisors spend an incredible amount of time listening to people who have other points of view, and the best supervisors listen well.

Mr. Bridges was unwilling to commit to devote full time to this position at the Jan. 10 forum, and later walked back his comments to clarify that he would still participate in his day job but would make time for the Supervisor position. I am out of patience with candidates who promise (let alone those who don’t promise) to give up their day job, and we citizens later end up having to make do with less than full time effort from our Supervisor.

I am voting for Jessica Pyska to continue the work she has started, and I hope you will join me.

Mary Benson lives in Lower Lake, California.