Tell us about yourself.

I am 58 years old and have two brothers and one sister, all younger than me. I was born in Nampa, Idaho but have lived in western Washington most of my life. John and I have been married for 38 Years. We have four children and 12 grandchildren.

I have worked for two dentists as a dental assistant and was a department manager at K-Mart. I was owner/ operator of Erickson Construction for five years and have been the owner-operator of Shelley’s Total Bodyworks Day Spa for over 25 years. The Salon has grown from a 600-square-foot suite on East Main St. to a 7,680-square-foot building on Howard Road.

John and I have, over the years, purchased and remodeled eight houses, two apartment complexes and one office building.

I graduated from Chief Sealth High in 1969. I have been certified to perform permanent makeup and teach permanent makeup classes. I have been certified through the Auburn School District to teach the Edge Learning Institute self-esteem classes and have taught adults and children. In 1980, John and I built our own 5,000-square-foot home in Auburn doing all the work ourselves with no contractors.

I have been a volunteer in the city of Auburn doing gardening for the beautification committee. For two years I was PTA president. I took a very run down, disgruntled PTA and turned it into a very big award-winning PTA full of participating PTA parents. I was given about $15 to work with from the previous president and turned it into about $50,000. The money was used to purchase playground equipment for Gildo Rey Elementary School and many programs for the children. John and I and a few PTA members installed the playground equipment. I was on the PTA Council for two years. I helped at a State PTA Convention at the Red Lion Hotel, videoing the entire convention and every class given during the convention and edited the video to cover all the important details of the entire convention. I have orchestrated an awareness program to make the citizens of Auburn aware of sex predator issues. I held meetings for a grass roots group of citizens to accomplish this awareness program. I put a city-wide meeting together at the Auburn High School Performing Arts building to teach adults and children how to be aware of the dangers of strangers and the importance of the issue. During this program the police department taught classes to adults and children on how to protect themselves in adjoining rooms. More than 500 pre-registered participants came. I retired from public volunteer work for a short time to grow my business and be a parent and grandmother I believe the most influential people that I know personally, in my career here and my volunteer work are definitely Linda Cowan and Jim Fugate, both school superintendents retired and Chuck Booth former Mayor of Auburn. I respect them as great caring leaders here in Auburn, that have put themselves last and the citizens first. The picture of Linda Cowan surrounded by “her children” the Auburn school district children, when she was announced as retiring, was the perfect picture of Linda, and I have saved that picture to treasure.

As for my leadership style I believe I have shown I listen to the people around me and have led volunteers to a successful PTA. My job as Mayor would be to delegate and keep a watchful eye on department heads and oversee volunteer work without trying to micro- manage everything. My goal has always been to improve the schools and to teach positive thinking in the community and to protect the citizens from crime.

Why do you want to be Mayor?

In my own personal experience with Pete Lewis, he has lost all credibility. The citizens of Auburn cannot trust his word and actions to do justice for the people of Auburn. Pete has had eight years too many and Auburn needs a new leader. I can no longer sit back and watch what is happening to the citizens, their property rights and civil rights and small businesses in Auburn. Auburn can be a nice looking town with nice streets and housing for all income levels. It takes fourteen hour days seven days a week to run my business. I will be hiring people to operate my present business when I become Mayor. Several people have asked me if I know how much work I am asking for. My reply to them is I think this new job gives me some weekends off.

Name three things at the least you would like to accomplish for Auburn:

I would like all future development to be accomplished with small and big business co-existing, and citizen’s rights and properties respected and valued by City Hall, which is not the case with the present administration. I would like the city of Auburn to look clean and well kept from one border to the next. I would like the old streets of Auburn to be redone to build the value of all the property. I will put a stop to the City purchasing small businesses at taxpayer expense. Government should not be in competition with businesses. I will look for development that can create jobs without costing the citizens excessive tax dollars beyond their means. Taxes need to be contained or reduced not raised. Taxes need to be for necessary expenditures not unnecessary expenses. I believe a small business owner has the experience to be a leader of City Hall, because a small business owner has the tough job of being frugal and is no stranger to hours of hard work to make a business successful along with the many decisions it takes to be successful. A small business owner knows how to be respectful and treat the public like you want to be treated yourself.

Why do you think the citizens of Auburn should vote for you?

I believe the citizens that know me know I am trustworthy, and know how to run a business. Citizens know I am accustomed to many hours of hard work and qualified to lead. I also believe the majority of citizens have learned, as I have, that Pete is not a credible person and they will vote for me.

How would you maintain the same quality of life residents now enjoy without imposing additional tax burdens on them?

I believe in doing everything possible to keep taxes low. Raising taxes will not increase the quality of life, it will only lower the amount of disposable income people have to spend. People spending money will help the tax base in the city and the economy. I will work within the budget. I will not ask for more tax dollars to increase the budget. If there is no money, I will not spend it. Do not start new projects until you know where the money is coming from. It is simple, do not spend money the tax payers can not afford. Be frugal. Why would you tear down the old YMCA building when you don’t know where the money is coming from for the new community center?

Name at least three of the principal issues confronting Auburn and how to deal with them:

1. The loss of taxes and jobs in the private sector: Taxation has to be contained and kept low. Do not start new projects until the city knows the budget. Put all spending on hold that is not necessary to keep Auburn running until an assessment of the budget can be performed. Put brainstorming sessions together with citizens and city employees to see where the expenses can be cut to save jobs and pay the bills. As mayor, I will work with these committees to find every way to save tax dollars and conserve and to bring in revenue without raising taxes. Grant money will definitely be one avenue to bring money and jobs to the city.

2. Drug abuse: I will set up committees to brainstorm the issues and how to reduce it and find funds for it and then do it. Some members should be recovering addicts. I will also work with the schools to set up Teen Peer groups to support each other to maintain their goals of staying clean and abstinent. Taking care of the drug issues should reduce the homeless situation and a lot of crime in Auburn.

3. Failure of businesses downtown: I will end the policy the City has of buying real estate from businesses without providing the opportunity of a new good location to operate their business. I will respect real estate owner’s rights by paying them market value for their property, working on co-existence and valuing their businesses, homes and buildings. Not the reduced value due to blighting. I will work to simplify the permitting process. I will continue to encourage investors to build new beautiful buildings to promote business. I will encourage safe night life such as theaters and restaurants.

Fire and police protection will be a priority over all other needs. The city needs adequate basic protection to stop crime and provide safety to ensure the well-being of our citizens. Gangs, drugs and sex predators will be at the top of my major focuses.

Maintaining roads: The people have voted for taxes to maintain streets. This money needs to be used to repair the worst roads and streets first.

What do you think of the plans now under way to redevelop downtown?

Redevelopment of downtown is one of my priorities, and I have seen a few different sketches depicting a beautiful new downtown. I am not aware of any new building projects in the works at this time other than Key Bank and the hospital. I would like to see more progress, but this has to be done with private investment. The City should be doing everything possible to encourage development, including tax breaks where possible. Granting tax breaks where the City is now collecting very low taxes will not cost the city anything and will encourage development that will ultimately increase tax revenue and create jobs. Whatever is done, it needs to be done without destroying the few businesses remaining downtown.

Approving a new project expense such as the promenade for downtown that could exceed $5,000,000 in city funds along with $3,000,000 of grant money, without knowing the loss of tax revenue that may happen this winter is not advisable to me.

How will you deal with the fallout given King County has drastically cut funding for human and social services on the south end?

I will best be able to answer this problem after I am in office and can see the facts and budget then put brainstorming sessions together to see what ideas the qualified employees inside City Hall put together, talk to leaders of our community for ideas and talk to leaders in other communities where they have been successful addressing this problem.

Do you think the City is responsive to its citizens now?

As Mayor I will be a humble servant to listen, learn and serve by the laws. I will respect citizen’s rights including property and small businesses. I will help our community with low-income housing development for all ages. I will try to save ACAP. I will put good employees in place to plan for the city.

What do I think of the city’s partnership with other cities to build a new building for inmates of misdemeanors now that King County will no longer accept misdemeanor inmates from cities after 2012?

The inmates need a place to go and Auburn’s jail is overcrowded now. A partnership with other cities may be the most economical solution; however, I would like to address the possibility of building our own facilities that would provide jobs for Auburn.

Do I think the community center and activities center proposed for Les Gove Campus is a wise investment?

I believe activity centers help keep youth busy and out of trouble. It would create some jobs as well. However, at this time I don’t believe the City has the budget to go ahead with the project. Tearing down the old YMCA building that was being used for the community already, without funds available to build a new one during a time of economic hardship does not make sense to me. ACAP was a necessary service to the community and has been put into jeopardy while the property where they were located sits empty.