Our county was hit with another massive storm two weeks ago, and the sheriff declared a local disaster.

There, in the midst of it all, was District 5 Supervisor Jessica Pyska. She surveyed the damaged area while riding along in a Cal Fire truck. She stopped to check in on neighbors who sustained damage.

She coordinated with PG&E and the Mountain Lions to assist in the setup of a Warming Center and helped get the temporary cell site up. She was there to do whatever she could. She posted and shared information and resources on social media in the following days. She made it her business to meet our needs as best as possible.

Almost two weeks later, Supervisor Pyska was in attendance at our monthly Cobb Area Council (“CAC”), a municipal advisory council of the Lake County Board of Supervisors, where she was able to give a summary report of the event, comment on the current declaration of the local disaster, supply next steps for those who sustained damages, and be available for questions and concerns.

Supervisor Pyska regularly attends these meetings to give updates from the Board of Supervisors and important projects the County is working on, and most importantly, takes our feedback back to Lakeport. She makes herself available to answer questions and seeks to solve problems. She can also be found chatting after the meeting with friends and neighbors, also known as her constituents.

Typically, during election season, candidates come and introduce themselves and learn about the community by sitting in on our meetings. I am discouraged that the other candidate for District 5, Boone Bridges, has not made the effort to attend even one of our meetings to understand the unique needs of the Cobb Area, especially after most folks suffered through almost a week of power outages and extensive damages to their properties.

This hits especially hard when I think of how the previous supervisor stopped attending meetings for the last two years of his term. Sure, we are made of stern and hardy stuff here in Cobb. Still, with no acknowledgment whatsoever from a person who wants to represent me at the county level, I am assuredly dissuaded from ever recommending him.

I have always appreciated Supervisor Pyska’s dedication to being at our monthly meetings. She is also encouraging a similar municipal advisory commission in the Kelseyville area. She has made herself available time after time to her constituents in need, be it great or small. I have even watched her leave a family picnic on a Saturday afternoon to offer whatever assistance was needed at a house fire in her district. She takes her job seriously. She takes the people seriously. She is ready to give each one of YOU a chance to speak while she LISTENS.

I want someone representing District 5 who has our interests at heart and not someone who tries to “squeeze us in” during his part-time approach to the call of public service, or even worse, someone who does not even think of us at all.

Jessica Pyska is already hard at work for the people who live in District 5 and you can count on her to continue to do so. Show up for Jessica Pyska the way she continues to show up and follow through for you.

Cathy McCarthy lives in Cobb, California.