Sam Fletcher reports from the Oak Harbor City Council meeting of Tue., Dec. 17, 2024 for the Whidbey News-Times.
In a 4-2 vote, [James] Marrow was sworn in as the newest council member after Shane Hoffmire, who held Position 5 since January 2022, announced his resignation last month. The position runs through December of next year.
Marrow earned the seat over three other finalists and after a 30-minute executive session.
They Said It
[Marrow] said serving the city is his calling.
“There are those people who are called to make huge empires of business, and there are those who are called to any number of professional activities, but I’ve found my greatest satisfaction is really from serving the people,” he said. “Now, isn’t that odd?”
“On the city council, you can expect me to ramp it up a notch,” he said. “In fact, on retirement I pledged that.”
While Marrow said he focuses on a long list including economic development, parks and recreation and more, he has a little “ax to grind” with crime and homelessness.
Both crime and homelessness are exacerbated by substance abuse, he said, and he will encourage the council to address the causes.
Resources that are used to support homeless people are ones that are not used to “build up” industry, he said, and homeless people add a cost to the businesses around them.
The short-term solution is strengthening first responders, he said. Longer term means addressing the supply line, which takes judges willing to make tough calls.
“The issues that have taken decades to appear can easily take years to resolve,” he said, “but the idea of just ignoring them is not really a plausible solution.”
Marrow said he has first-hand experience as the issue has worsened in Oak Harbor.
“How many decades have you been here, Councilor Woessner? Five? Six?” he asked, “so you know this is a different world than it was so many years ago.”
When asked if he would run for city council when the seat expires in 2025, he said, “Yes, yes, heavens yes.”
Marrow loves the campaign trail, he said, inspired by meeting the community in person and walking door to door.
“I look forward to losing another 30 pounds,” he said.
