• Candidate Forum 2022

Each election cycle, the Government Affairs Committee of the Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce provides the community with an opportunity to hear from local candidates about their views related to issues of importance to the business community.

This year, we asked candidates running for key offices in the City of Eureka and Humboldt County to respond to the three questions:

  1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate?
  2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses?
  3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made?

All candidates we invited responded to the questions. Here is what they had to say - we hope you find this informative as you consider how you will vote in the November 8 election.

Leslie Castellano Candidate for Eureka City Council Ward 1 www.facebook.com/lesliecastellanoforeureka

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? It is essential for the City of Eureka to continue to partner with local businesses to meet their needs in the current economic climate. I currently serve on several boards and commissions related to economic development: the Workforce Development Board, Eureka Main Street, and Redwood Region Economic Development Commission. During these meetings, I regularly advocate for Eureka businesses and make sure their needs are taken into account when decisions are made. Through my place of employment, I am also a member of the Eureka Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, while on City Council, I advocated for local businesses to receive direct financial assistance in the form of grants from the City of Eureka through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. I appreciate Eureka’s commitment to local businesses during that difficult time and know that the city continues to offer resources to local businesses through our facade improvement grants, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) consultations, and the new Streetscape Improvement Fund. Additionally, when new or emerging industries are considering our region, it is vital to advocate for opportunities for local businesses to be involved. For instance, with the planning for offshore wind development, I have advocated for training and industry partnerships to be shared with local businesses first. Similarly, when the trans-pacific fiber optic cable was laid in 2021, I participated in meetings to make sure that Eureka had a fiber network plan so that businesses could benefit. Throughout the past two years, I have participated in weekly Community Economic Resilience Committee meetings, working with partners across the North Coast to ensure that local businesses have access to the resources they need. I also know that workforce plays a critical role for local employers, and I continue to advocate for training opportunities, housing, and institutional support in order to meet the needs of a changing and growing labor market. There are other big concerns that we need to work on together such as the continued shift to online shopping, and there are opportunities to strengthen shop local campaigns. As a small business owner and director of a nonprofit organization, I meet regularly with other people in the business and nonprofit sectors in order to hear firsthand about the challenges that they face. It is critical that we continue to work together to build networks of support in Eureka and beyond.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? Over the past several years, I have engaged with many initiatives in order to support local businesses and public well being. I am a voting member of the CalCities “Housing, Community, and Economic Development” policy committee and I now serve on the State leadership group for CalCities as Vice President of the Redwood Region Division of CalCities. I am currently participating in the California Stewardship Network Fellows program which is connected to California Forward and initiatives to make the government and economy work for everyone. Additionally, I have been engaged with and tracking the Community Economic Resilience Fund in our region and will continue to advocate for these State funds to benefit people and businesses in the City of Eureka. I have attended annual CivicWell conferences where I advocated to and met with State leadership in the Strategic Growth Council in order to ensure that their programs would come to the North Coast. I regularly engage with the City’s Economic Development department in order to stay informed about the ways in which the city is leveraging State and Federal dollars for local businesses. When Federal programs are available, I help make sure businesses can receive those funds when possible. While Board President of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission, I supported over $5 million in Federal funding from the Economic Development Administration becoming available to local businesses in the form of loans. Through my employment, I also track State and Federal grants and have created programming to bring those resources here to Eureka. I love our community and will continue to advocate for resources and opportunities whenever possible.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made? I value the perspectives and concerns of members of the Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce. Though we already have some opportunities for engagement such as the Chamber/Council 2 by 2 meetings, there are ways that we could have more impactful communication between City Hall and Chamber of Commerce members. I believe the Chamber Committees could be tools for forging deeper relationships with elected officials. In particular, I can help be a conduit for information sharing and exchange at the committee level if there are matters that a committee is concerned with or needs more information about. During the pandemic, I participated in many cross-sector meetings with Chamber leadership in order to support businesses during that time. Though we do not presently have the same concerns as we did during the early stages of the pandemic, meetings of this type could be ongoing, creating regular opportunities to work together in support of local businesses. The City has reached out directly to the Chamber for planning purposes, recently coordinating a listening session for Chamber members for the Waterfront Specific Plan. I think there is opportunity for more sessions like this, especially when they align with Chamber initiatives. Town Halls could also be channels for greater collaboration on decisions that affect local businesses. For instance, the City of Eureka will be hosting a Town Hall on mental health in the upcoming months. This is a concern for the entire community and certainly impacts area businesses. It would be wonderful for Chamber members to attend the Town Hall and give their input. If desired, we could survey Chamber members prior to the Town Hall meeting in order to make sure that we address their most pressing concerns. Leadership at the Eureka Chamber could also provide an annual report to Eureka City Council of members’ priorities. We could then incorporate this valuable information in our strategic goals for the year. Finally, I invite Chamber members to reach out to me personally. I am always excited for the opportunity to meet and talk with you. Thank you for your leadership in the community!

G Mario Fernandez Candidate for Eureka City Council Ward 3

www.votegmario.com/

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? Simply, we need to modernize and acclimate to an increasingly digital world; business licenses and filings should be easily available online along with an index of the necessary requirements for business ownership and where one could find grants, loans, and other resources. As a city, we need to have a stronger relationship with the local chamber and economic development centers to survey businesses so we better understand the wants/needs of local businesses.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? Do the programs serve their intended purpose? Are the rebates for the beautification/Facade Program sufficient, does it make the business/neighborhood more safe and secure; do neighbors feel a sense of ownership from the mini-grants? Any measure of success from these or future programs would require input from city staff and local businesses on the metrics to be used. Regular or semi-annual community workshops with support from AEDC, SBDC, or RREDC would provide the necessary assistance and education, and allow for an avenue of advocacy from local businesses.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made? There is already a 2x2 between the Chamber and the City; however, there is still room for businesses to provide input through any number of our city committees and, likewise, it would behoove the chamber to allow council members (or their appointees) a space and a voice within the chamber's committees. I would ask for facilitation support from the local businesses and the chamber in the aforementioned workshops.

John Fullerton Candidate for Eureka City Council Ward 3

www.facebook.com/people/John-Fullerton-for-Eureka-City-Council/100058122...

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? Every decision that comes out of the city council would be analyzed by me to see how it affects our local business community. That takes an understanding of what drives our local economy and what our businesses need to succeed. I have an extensive business background. The city has done some nice things recently like the $500,000 grant that quickly came & went to help businesses pay for rent. However the program only lasted four months and most of my clients didn't even hear about it. I would like to bring that program back and make more of an effort to reach out to our local business owners. The city just recently opened another $500,000 program for 3% - 15yr loans for businesses for streetscape improvements. Again most business owners haven't heard of this.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? The short answer is by a lot of reading and listening. I don't mean from partisan sources either. I don't care what a Democrat or Republican politician claims a proposition or proposed legislation will do or not do. I read a lot from articles on various business web sites. I also read a lot from tax sources and their analysis of the impact on our bottom line. Council members have to remember the council should not be a place to push partisan beliefs but a place to represent all people of Eureka. They need to understand that the city depends on the business community to provide good paying jobs for locals and to provide the sales tax dollars the city depends on for its budget.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made I'm afraid that two way communication is missing. Nobody on the council has ever owned or ran a business. Very few, if any, people in the city administration have either and it shows in some of their decisions & proposals these last eight years or more. What I will push for is to require the city administration to meet with a business focus group on a regular basis (maybe quarterly?) to make sure we get a voice in their plans while the plans are still being formulated. They need us to speak up and inform them of the impact their plans would have on our economy. Currently the spring stuff on us with no prior warning and their minds are already made up. I would like a group like our chamber to put forward small & medium size business owners for this focus group and not the bureaucrats & politicians.

Renee Contreras-DeLoach Candidate for Eureka City Council Ward 5

rcd4ourcity@gmail.com

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? Business owners are key stakeholders in our community. They are the backbone of the economy. Small businesses contributed 44% of the GDP in 2019, that is huge. Navigating the current economic climate is going to continue to be challenging. We are fraught with inflation, rising costs, rising wages, employee shortages and supply chain issues. Additionally online shopping has all but consumed main street America and made competitive pricing almost impossible. This is a difficult time. I have been professionally advocating for small business owners since 2003 by working with my husband to offer no cost business and marketing plans, SWOT analyses and financial services. Though I stopped officially working in this capacity in 2019, I am still enthusiastically committed to championing what I see as a vital part of the American Dream. First, I will make sure that as City officials we don’t make doing business here more difficult. Second, I will do my best to address the common concerns of our local businesses so they can ride this storm out. Third, I will push for more public/private partnerships as we address needs including employment, housing and revitalization, and green energy/ ecopreneurship. Lastly, I will be available and have a listening ear, bringing concerns, issues or needs to the City Council. We need a strong robust economy that can attract and retain businesses, well-trained employees, and tourists.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? The U.S. and California are taking legislative action to support businesses. A study recently showed that much of California's robust growth is owed to businesses with 20 or fewer employees. Small businesses are responsible for California being an economic powerhouse worldwide! These newly proposed policies will bolster and provide resources for small businesses. At a State level we have SB 1407-California Employee Ownership Act, AB 2019 Small Business Enterprises, and other legislation that could benefit local industries including our craft brewers and distillers. At the Federal level, Amy Klobuchar (D) and Thom Tillis (R) are proposing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This amendment if adopted would provide supports for military spouses (most of whom are women) to become entrepreneurs. If passed, this would positively impact our own Coast Guard families and, in turn, help our community. We can advocate for or lend our voices as a council to bring funds in and provide supports to local businesses. State and local governments can help provide capital where banks may be hesitant. Providing niche services to obtain government contracts could be an avenue for local businesses as well. I will work with anyone to keep the pulse on what is happening at a state and federal level and will make sure to keep our businesses informed about things that can benefit them.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and Count-wide decisions are being made?

“All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at your local planning department in Alpha Centauri for 50 of your Earth years, so you’ve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint… what do you mean you’ve never been to Alpha Centauri? Oh, for heavens sake, mankind, its only 4 light years away you know. I’m sorry but if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in local affairs, thats your own lookout. Energize the demolition beams.” - Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

In the satire Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Earthling Arthur Dent finds out that Earth is scheduled for demolition for a new super galactic highway by extra terrestrial beings he had no idea existed. I am using this silly example to make the point that for government to be accessible, communication needs to be proactive and ongoing. I will make sure that our business owners are getting information about upcoming discussions that may relate to them. Additional communication channels like email or meetings may need to be considered to improve information dissemination. Two-way communication is making sure we are listening, but also that businesses are informing us and involving us in their ongoing needs. I will dialog with business owners about what challenges they face and work to address them so we can rebuild and strengthen our local economy and thrive again. Local businesses need to feel supported and respected as the key stakeholders they are. People are investing their life's work into our area and I want to see them succeed.

Nicholas Kohl Candidate for Eureka City Council Ward 5

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085389941702

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? With my experience as a small business owner I feel that I will have some direct insight on this topic. One of the important aspects that I realize is that the current economic climate affects our variety of sectors differently. I see that the challenges facing Old Town Retail often are based on Mental health and Homeless issues. For this sector I would advocate for a return of our Old Town Police Officer position that has been vacant since the beginning of covid. In the Food Sector I see the reality of volatile product costs and continued concern over covid exposure risks. I would like to explore Water and sewer rebates for these businesses as a way to soften the increased product and PG&E costs. Within the Construction and Home improvement areas I see a need for staffing. Projects can be scheduled months out, sometimes even more than a year. I would like to engage these employers and see what they need for staff training and recruitment. Can programs be developed to provide this training to youth or at risk communities to help improve their hireability. These are just a few examples. I have not discussed the Cannabis market, our Fishing Industry or Finance. All of these areas will respond in a unique way. But, they share a common thread. They need to be heard and supported to thrive. I feel that I am in a position to be a positive contributor in that process.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? I see the importance of Local Businesses. Local business keeps profit in our area and returns it into our economic system. I would hope to be able to glean a clear understanding of the initiatives as they are being discussed. This would allow communication with the business community as to the intention and expected timelines of implementation. Clarity of information can go a long way in adjusting a business model. I would hope to be able to access state or federal program funding to also support municipal programs, like the "Bridges Program" that supported rent or mortgage assistance to small businesses during Covid. I also acknowledge that this area will be one of growth for me. I do not have the full knowledge of what is being discussed or how it will impact. But, I will have the tools to learn, and Eureka's success is worth it.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made? It is my experience that direct communication is KEY! I have had the fortune of utilizing direct communication with the City Economic Development staff to express my thoughts and concerns. It would be my goal to build that dialog with businesses that have not been able to reach out. I would like to see a strong relationship between the City and its business agencies like the Chamber of Commerce and Mainstreet. I would like to see additional training for City economic staff as well as directed time for agency and sector engagement. I would like to see a smaller example of the County's Prosperity Committee built on the municipal level that would create a form for local business outreach and discussion. It falls to a direct philosophy for me, Communication in crisis is key to survival. Communication outside of a crisis is growth. Thank you for the opportunity. I hope to earn the chance to represent our community.

Kim Bergel Candidate for Mayor, City of Eureka

https://mayorkim.com

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? One of the many things I love about Eureka is our family businesses that have been around forever. We are rich in makers, artisans, and a diverse group of local businesses. I will advocate for local businesses as I have advocated for other projects. One day at a time and with my whole heart. I have been successful in advocating for projects such as the return of Tuluwat, the vacation of Devil’s Playground, and being a founding family in Redwood Coast Montessori. I advocate for my students and individuals daily. I look forward to carrying on this type of success with the Chamber.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? Collaboration is paramount. I will work with City Council and staff to evaluate, leverage and navigate initiatives that will benefit our local businesses. A significant number of problems local businesses face (homelessness, workforce development, economic development, etc.) involve direct and indirect mental health issues in our community. I have been working on these issues throughout my service on the Council. The City is actively developing more housing and has just approved hiring mental health clinicians to develop & support wrap around solutions that will stabilize and house community members with mental health issues. I have served on the Community Access Project Eureka (CAPE) since its inception. Eureka collaborates with a variety of agencies and have been instrumental in supporting programs such as the “Pathways to Payday” project and Uplift Eureka. Both of these programs provide workforce training and assist community members off the street and into meaningful and productive jobs with local businesses. Pathway to Payday works with many of our local businesses and has seen an 85- 90% success rate in getting folks to work! It will be important to have the voices of our businesses reach out to State and Federal officials when warranted to advocate for businesses in our region.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made? We are moving in that direction currently. I built an strong relationship with Donna and have met with Nancy and look forward to working together toward effective solutions. I also have a good working relationship with Supervisor Bass and will carry that forward with Supervisor Arroyo (who I am endorsed by). We currently have 2x2 meetings scheduled monthly with the Chamber/City as well as quarterly with City/County. These meetings are designed as an opportunity to share information and collaborate. City and County staff want a vibrant, safe, and healthy community. The most important piece of this is open and respectful dialogue. We may disagree on how to get there. It will be critical to have open dialogue to build on what we agree on as we walk through the challenges.

Juan Pablo Cervantes Candidate for Humboldt County Clerk, Recorder & Registrar of Voters https://voteforjuanpablo.com/

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? I recognize that supporting our local businesses and fostering a prosperous business climate is essential to maintaining and improving the quality of our communities. As I see it, the county government needs to actively support local businesses through the economic booms and the slumps. And advocating for you is not limited to the services offered by our Economic Development Division, GoHumCo, or to direct actions by our Board of Supervisors. Instead, each County office that regularly interfaces with businesses must play its part in fostering a business-friendly environment. As the Clerk-Recorder, reducing unnecessary burdens on your time is one of my top priorities. We must program efficiencies into our administrative process that reduce the time and energy required in one area to provide more meaningful services elsewhere. I will utilize online and digital resources to communicate better step-by-step filing processes and FAQs to online users, freeing up more energy for in-person interactions. I will leverage my Public Administration education and experience to ensure that we implement up-to-date best practices within the department. I am interested in working with the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations to co-host educational seminars and secure expert speakers. For instance, many businesses, particularly sole proprietor upstarts, could benefit from a more robust understanding of fictitious business name statements. And as new modern government tools are adopted in Humboldt, the Clerk-Recorder, and other departments, should take steps to educate businesses on how these tools may be best utilized. Finally, whenever there is a means that we can meet locally, I will carry forward our office’s long-time practice of buying locally. Both Carolyn Crnich and Kelly Sanders employed this practice of directly supporting local businesses. When we find our office facing a staffing shortage, Express Employment Professionals takes care of that problem. Advanced Security Systems provide our security systems. And after the polls close, Paul’s Live from New York provides the pizza that keeps the elections staff processing ballots late into the night (along with the help of Jitter Bean Coffee).

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? Evaluating Proposed Legislation. I will bring my advocacy experience to bear in evaluating proposed initiatives to determine the impact on local businesses and on the services the Clerk-Recorder provides. As part of my evaluation process, I will stay in communication with stakeholders and other professionals to reach an informed position on the impacts on local businesses. And because Humboldt County faces the financial constraints common among rural governments, I will maintain a policy of advocating for state support to cover the costs incurred from mandates, which diminish current levels of service the County provides. Where legislation stands to either benefit or harm our local businesses, I will communicate my findings to the County Counsel and the Board of Supervisors, and where appropriate, I will ask the Board to take an official stance. Evaluating legislation is a time-sensitive matter. It is essential to address issues as early in the process as possible when authors are still ironing out the language and are more amenable to amendments. I will identify these proposals in a timely manner by maintaining strong relationships with my peers from other counties, closely following the bulletins put out by California’s Clerk and Recorder associations, and by personally employing digital systems that track legislation. Leveraging Legislative Initiatives. To best leverage Federal/State programs for the benefit of our local businesses, I will engage with the Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholder groups to determine how business needs can be best met. Moreover, I hope we can act in partnership to improve our leverage, especially where grant money is available to enhance and modernize systems for the benefit of local businesses.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made? Expanding stakeholder engagement is incredibly important to me. Addressing stakeholders late in the decision-making process increases the risk of implementing poorly informed policies or programs. It upsets stakeholders and further deteriorates two-way communication. A core component of my campaign platform is meeting you where you are. To properly gauge the range of issues facing our business community, attending Chamber events and meeting with other professional organizations is essential. I intend for the Clerk-Recorder to serve as a partner to our business community.

Tiffany Hunt Nielsen Candidate for Humboldt County Clerk, Recorder & Registrar of Voters http://www.electtiffanyhuntnielsen.com/

1. How will you advocate for local businesses to help them navigate the current economic climate? The Clerk/Recorder office files Fictitious Business Name Statements (FBN) for local businesses. I assist with this process daily. I have added helpful information to the Instruction sheet and provide additional information as needed. Starting a business has lots of guidelines and some of those are not clear. When a business is inside city limits, they acquire a business license from the City, but when it is outside city limits, the business license is issued by the County Tax Collector. Fictitious Business Name Statements and Business Licenses are not the same thing. In addition, there are a lot of ways to have FBN, using individual names, partners, LLC and a few others. It is up to the owner to determine how to do that. We do provide additional information. The FBNs expire after 5 years, so it is important to renew them on time. Our economic climate makes opening a business difficult, but also keeping the doors open. Local businesses are vital to our community and I would like to assist in any way I can to encourage and support local.

2. How will you evaluate and leverage State and Federal initiatives to better support our local businesses? The County Clerk/Recorder and Registrar of Voters are Government offices, we are required to uphold the statutes and regulations provided by the State and Federal laws.

3. How can we better work together and improve two-way communication between local businesses and City and County government to ensure that area businesses are adequately engaged and their needs considered when City and County-wide decisions are being made? Technology is a valuable tool for opening communication between government entities and the public. Our website is designed to be user friendly and answer “frequently asked questions” (FAQs). Any feedback from the public on our website would be welcome. Email for the busy business owner is another great tool. Our hours at the Clerk/Recorder office are 8:30 – 4:30, Monday through Friday (except Holidays) and that is not always convenient for everyone. Since I began working at the Clerk/Recorder’s office, my main goal has been to improve customer/public service.

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