WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Chief deputy treasurer, salesman face off in election

Jessie Stensland profiles the candidates:

The second-in-command in the Island County Treasurer’s Office is vying to take the helm of the office against a talented salesman and manager who wants to raise the profile of the office.

Chief Deputy Treasurer Tony Lam, a Whidbey resident and Democrat, is facing Richard MacQuarrie, a Republican and Camano Island resident.

They Said It

Tony Lam

Lam said he’s thankful to [retiring Treasurer Wanda] Grone for teaching him about the range of duties in the office, which he said is efficiently and successfully run without any delays or other problems. He is involved in every aspect of the office. He said he will continue Grone’s example of being a hands-on boss who works alongside the others in the nine-person office.

“Wanda has taught me so much in the last eight years,” he said. “My goal is to make sure we have a smooth transition when she leaves office.”

If he’s elected, Lam said he will continue running the office as the well-oiled machine it currently is, largely thanks to him.

Lam would like to have more staff in the future. Currently, when there are one or two staff members out, it puts a strain on the others. He said he’s worked very long hours over the last six months as staff retired or left the office because of a move.

“I have a huge sense of responsibility,” he said.

Richard MacQuarrie

If elected, MacQuarrie said he plans to improve communication with the public. He wants to make the treasurer’s office website more user friendly and to have a presence on social media.

“If I become treasurer, I want to make sure the public at least knows I exist,” he said.

In addition, MacQuarrie said he will strive to make complex budget and financial information more comprehensible to the public by adding layman’s term language to documents.

MacQuarrie said he is a good manager of people. He has a “family first” philosophy, he said, which means he’s flexible and understanding with employees who have to tend to their families.