MONROE — A primary election is coming for the three candidates vying for a seat on the Monroe City Council.
Junelle Lewis, Will Schlegel and Jake Walker are vying for the seat being vacated by Ed Davis.
The primary takes place Aug. 1 and ballots will be mailed to registered voters July 13. The top two will move on to the November general election.
Lewis is an attendance intervention specialist for the Monroe School District and moved to the area in 2018.
Walker, who is a lifelong resident of Monroe, owns an insurance business and he, and his wife, Ali, welcomed a son six months ago.
Schlegel refused requests for a full interview with the Tribune. He sent an email about his campaign stating “I will focus on individual rights, which would include an active safety management program, which works collaboratively with the business and citizens.”
Lewis and Walker spoke with the Tribune by phone.
“I feel like I have a lot to bring to the city council,” Lewis said. “I want change and what better way to do that than get in there and bring a different perspective.”
In addition to serving the school district and the planning commission, Lewis and her husband, Avery, recently started a food trailer. They have eight children, one of whom will study at the University of Washington.
“I feel like I know the context of the city,” Walker said. The upcoming election marks the third time Walker ran for council. When he ran in 2021, he lost by around 30 votes. He served on the city’s economic development advisory board at the time.
Lewis and Walker are current members of Monroe’s planning commission, which advises the City Council on land use matters.
Both Lewis and Walker used the phrase “attainable housing” and talked about the need for more multi-family housing such as townhouses, duplexes, and mixed-use buildings.
Walker said such housing would reach the “missing middle” for people looking for a starter home.
Lewis said more community engagement is also needed to help with housing issues.
“A lot of times you have to invite people to the table,” Lewis said.
She also highlighted the city to provide more support for small businesses. Lewis suggested the city implement a business mentor program to help guide business owners through the start-up and approval process.
“If we help residents build their small businesses, that would, in turn, help our community,” Lewis said.
Walker said the city has to keep the community atmosphere as the town grows.
“What’s the formula for making people feel they love where they live?,” Walker said. He highlighted the need for city events, the need for city leaders to connect with the community and good communication and lobbying to help find funding for infrastructure projects such as improvements to US 2 and Highway 522.
He added that the city leaders should maintain and add to parks and green space as the city grows.
Schlegel, in an email to the question, replied that “the people do not want growth, because Highway 2 is a disaster, and the river will be destroyed. Research the global population decline; it supports not over building.”
In the same email, Schlegel wrote: “The question on the minds of the people in Monroe is, why do we need to grow? We were fine 20 years ago with a much small[sic] population; we will be fine if we stop growth all together.”
Both Lewis and Walker talked about the importance of police in Monroe.
“I would like to see more officers,” Walker said. “In a nutshell, we’re going to have to sweeten the pot.”
Walker said petty crime could grow considering fentanyl abuse and the housing crisis. “It’s a bad formula.”
“I think it’s going to be critical to champion our police,” Walker said.
There are two other Monroe City Council seats up for election in 2023. Position 4 sees incumbent Heather Fulcher being challenged by Melanie Lockhart. Voters will decide that race during the November general election. Council member Jason Gamble is running unopposed for position 6.
