OAK HARBOR: Former park and rec colleagues vie for council seat

Marina Blatt reports on the Oak Harbor city elections for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.

Voters will have a choice between two Oak Harbor City Council candidates who have distinct philosophies over homelessness, crime, housing and other key issues facing the community.

James Marrow, an appointed member of the council, and Brit Kraner previously served together on the board of North Whidbey Pool, Park and Recreation District and are now going head-to-head in the Nov. 4 election.

Marrow’s agenda emphasizes a safe Oak Harbor, built on law enforcement, infrastructure and programs that promote accountability. Kraner’s campaign highlights transparency, public involvement and affordability, aiming to ensure residents are thoroughly heard.

They Said It

Kraner is running with a focus on community-first decision-making. With a degree in political science, she views serving on the council as a natural step after her work on the district board. Not inclined towards a single political party, she said the key to her decision-making is finding the middle ground.

Marrow, who represents the city council on the Chamber of Commerce and Island Transit boards, said he identifies as an independent with conservative leanings on fiscal matters. He said he approaches council work from a solution-oriented perspective with no interest in personal gain or business promotion.

…Kraner views SPiN Cafe, a nonprofit organization that serves people in need, as a necessary community resource. Yet she said the current approach of throwing more police or funding at the facility is not as effective as using that money to assist the guests in getting jobs.

“Homelessness is not a crime,” Kraner said. “We don’t have a lot of crime in Oak Harbor, despite the views and the outspokenness of individuals that are against SPiN Cafe, that is actually not something that is happening.”

While Marrow supports a function similar to SPiN Cafe, he believes it should be relocated to ensure safety for surrounding businesses and visitors…. Marrow said he wants to create favorable conditions for businesses to profit.

“We cannot have prospering businesses in our central business district if customers are afraid to go there, getting screamed at, accosted and people hallucinating and all the rest of the things that go along with the substance abuse and addiction,” he said.

Public safety sits at the top of Marrow’s agenda. Supporting a strong police force and implementing strategies to reduce drug-related issues in the city instead of providing free services will accomplish this, he reasoned. He further emphasizes accountability, expecting individuals to seek work or contribute to the community to avoid long-term dependency on public support.

“Some provision has to be made for people who are homeless and jobless,” Marrow said. “But I think there needs to be consequences for those who willfully make themselves unable to work or refuse to work or refuse to look for work.”

Instead, he said he hopes to treat the cause of homelessness, not the symptoms to keep Oak Harbor the safe city it is.

Kraner said her highest priority is to foster stronger community ties, noting that engagement is central to addressing broader concerns. She hopes to make opportunities for the community to engage more in a face-to-face manner as opposed to online, she said.

“Getting people in the same room often resolves a lot of conflict,” Kraner said.

Kraner highlighted her role as a responsive and empathetic representative. She noted that traditional outreach should be paired with attention to social media discussions, which she views as a reflection of public sentiment and community priorities.

Government transparency, she said, is a key element to maintain unity and engagement among residents of a community.

“Being elected means that people are choosing me to speak for them,” Kraner said. “Sometimes that might require me to go against what I personally feel is right, but I have to remember that I am a representative of them and not me.”

Intent on being forthcoming about her decisions, she also said that as a data analyst, these decisions are fueled by logic.

“I firmly believe in the law of averages and most often, more often than not, the answer is in the middle. “

Both candidates said they hope to improve the quality of life in Oak Harbor.

Marrow pointed to his previous work on marina efforts, including dredging and breakwater repair, and said he plans to pursue further investments that strengthen city infrastructure and support local businesses.

Meanwhile, Kraner noted the high cost of housing on Whidbey as a major challenge for families and military personnel. As a council member, she intends to push to regulate how much some landlords can charge for rent, she said.

“If we don’t do something to kind of get it under control, this is going to be a retiring-only community. And we have the military here,” Kraner said. “They can hardly afford to live here.”

On the Ballot in November 2025