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Letters of Support
Submitted to Mercer Island Reporter Oct. 21. Not yet published.
I strongly support Bruce Bassett for City Council. Bruce’s commitment to a healthy environment, a pedestrian friend central business district and support for strong schools is why we need his leadership. The great IMS field upgrade, creating a better, safer field creating additional city revenue with no new taxpayer money is just one example of the tremendous work Bruce has already successfully championed as a private citizen. Just imagine what he can accomplish for our town as an elected leader. My wife Gaylene Vaden and I have already voted for him. We urge you to join us and give Mercer Island the city council it needs for the future
Senator Brian Weinstein
Bruce Bassett
(published in Mercer Island Reporter Oct. 31, 2007)We are members of the Mercer Island adult soccer association, Bruce Bassett compared to most of us is a fairly new member who has made quite an impression. The issue of a new soccer playing field at the Middle School had been an idea discussed for some time but because of the usual excuses we never got around to taking it on with any seriousness. As President of Mercer Islalnd Soccer Assoc.(MISA) I mentioned it to Bruce Bassett and expected that he would, like the rest of us, ponder it some and eventually discuss it again.
Little did we know Bruce Bassett, within a few weeks he had established a web site, contacted the city council members, articulated our position, contacted all of the other interested parties and analyzed and produced, what turned out to be, a successful strategy. By October almost single handily Bruce organized all of the individuals and organizations that had interest in a new playing field at the Middle School. He convinced all of us rather than approach it as adversaries we should together with the Council Members and the respective constituent bodies pursue our mutual interests. As a result the community shall have at the end of this month a wonderful new playing field.
We have come to realize that Bruce Bassett is a quality person who would be a superior asset to any organization but particularly the Mercer Island City Council. He is a leader who leads by effort, thoughtfulness, and genuine concern for his community. He is a father, husband, former CEO of a high tech business, a graduate of Dartmouth, and an active member of numerous organizations that have a positive impact on the Mercer Island community. He has many ideas about how to better develop the business district including a Farmer’s Market.
How refreshing to be able to say that by supporting Bruce Bassett Mercer Island will have a leader who gets things done.
Dick Taylor
President, Mercer Island Soccer Assoc(MISA)
Eckhard Schipull
Member MISA
Jim Woeppel
Secretary MISA
Bruno Ridolfi
Member MISA
Bruce Bassett for Council
(published in Mercer Island Reporter Sept. 19, 2007)
Bruce Bassett, who is running for City Council, has done tremendous things for
our neighborhood. He led the effort to connect us as a community and to improve
the safety of our streets.
We have seen him work with the school district and city council to replace the
field at the middle school — and watched him donate countless hours of his time
to bring our neighborhood of 100 homes into the electronic age.
We believe Bruce would bring similar benefits to all residents of Mercer Island
if he is elected to the City Council. We strongly support his candidacy and
encourage you to consider voting for him as well.
John and Colleen Anderson
Mary Kay Burdick
Steve Frazier and Liz Leech
Janet Frohnmayer and David Marques
Ken and Sandy Glass
Rosemary and Greg Harry
Ralph and Dawn Jorgenson
Bob and Nancy Mason
Laurie and Victor Raisys
Linda and Don Summers
Margie and Andy Willett
(Submitted to Mercer Island Reporter approx. Oct. 3. Not yet published.)
As past and present leaders in the Y-Guides and Y-Princesses program on Mercer Island, we have had the opportunity to observe Bruce Bassett, a candidate for the Mercer Island City Council. Bruce is a leader among leaders. He is a hard-working supporter of programs that build strong kids, strong families, and a strong community. The Y-Guides and Y-Princesses is a parent and child-based program in which hundreds of Mercer Island families participate every year. Bruce’s accomplishments with that program are numerous. Through Bruce’s initiative and efforts, we now have a website that serves and informs our community and has become a model for other similar programs in the region. Through Bruce’s stewardship and team building, the Y-Guides and Y-Princesses on Mercer Island worked with the City of Mercer Island to help fund and create a fire pit at Luther Burbank Park that can be enjoyed by the whole community. And, of course, we have had the opportunity to watch Bruce interact with his own children and those of the many families that enjoy the programs to which Bruce tirelessly volunteers his time.
We know the value of Bruce’s leadership in our lives and the lives of our children. He has demonstrated the capability to deal with complex issues and organizations and the empathy to represent the diverse needs of our community. We strongly believe Bruce Bassett will demonstrate the same energy, innovation, values and leadership as a member of the Mercer Island City Council that we have come to know and appreciate. We support and endorse Bruce and encourage you to consider casting your vote for a leader among leaders.
Very truly yours,
Scott Barbara
John Brondello
Jamie Childress
Kevin Christy
Lee Prewitt
John Stewart
(Submitted to Mercer Island Reporter approx. Sept 28, not yet published.)
We write in support of Bruce Bassett’s candidacy for Mercer Island City Council. In the years we have known Bruce, we have seen his passion for our community expressed through his involvement with local schools, youth sports, and activities designed to enrich parent-child relationships such as the Y-Guides and Y-Princess programs. We also have witnessed Bruce’s devotion to the preservation of Mercer Island’s parks and greenbelts through his work on the Open Space Conservancy Board. Recently, Bruce’s leadership and consensus-building skills were instrumental in helping achieve approval and funding for an all-weather sports field at Islander Middle School.
Bruce has the background, drive, and vision necessary to have a positive impact in the City Council. Mercer Island is fortunate to count among its citizenry someone like Bruce, willing to dedicate himself to public service. Please join us in voting for Bruce and bringing a practical and constructive voice to local government.
Tom and Elaine Adams
Nils and Bridget Olsen
Lowell and Jodie Ricklefs
Glenn Kasman and Carrie Hall
JR and Patti Hanschen
In Support of Bruce Bassett
(Published October 17, 2007 in the Mercer Island Reporter)
Bruce Bassett has shown the strengths and characteristics that make a great civil servant, and he would be an asset to the City Council. Bruce has been a key member of a team focused on a project that would bring our children new environmental education opportunities at Luther Burbank Park. Bruce provides valuable and thoughtful insights at our environmental education meetings and to the boards on which he serves. His dedication to the education of our children and the sustainability of our parks is reflected in his actions. Bruce has a respectful approach when talking about island issues. He listens, absorbs, and acts. Based on our experience working with Bruce, we believe he will be a council member that keeps close touch with his community and the people, especially the children of Mercer Island. Each of us signed below has worked with Bruce Bassett in different aspects. Whether the issue is our environment, the education of our children, the parks, or transportation problems, we believe that Bruce will look for the root of the problem and work towards an equitable solution. We support Bruce Bassett for City Council Position. Please vote for Bruce Bassett.
Virginia Arnon
Seiko Konya
Dorli Mason
Susan Mattison
Rita Moore
Nola Nevers
Judith Roan
Submitted to Mercer Island Reporter approx. October 10, 2007, not yet published.
We are members of a diverse group of Mercer Island residents who are actively involved with youth or adult athletics on Mercer Island. Bruce Basset brought us together well over a year ago in an effort to replace the unhealthy, unpopular Islander Middle School dirt field with artificial turf. Through his collaborative style of leadership and coalition building skills, this initiative became a reality --a full year ahead of our most optimistic expectations. This new field will benefit both children and adults in our community, be they recreational or serious athletes, across multiple sports. We believe Bruce’s unselfish passion for making a difference within this community, his leadership skills and collaborative win-win approach to decision making will make him outstanding and highly successful City Council Member, and we strongly endorse his candidacy.
Sincerely,
Tom Adams
Dave Anderson
Eric Beckes
Fred Beuthel
Carl Crow
Toby Suhm
Submitted to Mercer Island Reporter approx. October 10, 2007, not yet published.
I support Bruce Bassett
I am writing today because I feel so strongly about one of the candidates for the upcoming Mercer Island City Council elections. Bruce Bassett is running for Council position #5.
Why do I support Bruce? He is a strong advocate for our kids, our community and our environment. I have had the chance to work with Bruce on several projects in recent years and witness first hand his ability to bring disparate groups together, to facilitate the discussions of their various viewpoints and to keep people working towards a goal.
An example was Bruce’s leadership in getting the dirt field at Islander Middle School converted to turf. This was an uphill battle from the beginning; one that many of us thought was a long shot. Bruce worked with City Park’s staff, met with City Council members, talked to Mercer Island School District personnel, and brought various youth and adult field users together to pursue the objective. As a result of Bruce’s efforts, we are within weeks of having a great year-round facility that will benefit the youth and adult athletes on the island.
Beyond the ball-field project, Bruce is an active volunteer in our schools and an advocate for environmental leadership by our city government. I have served with Bruce on the School Board’s Key Communicators Committee and have observed his work on the Open Space Conservancy Trust Board which manages Pioneer Park. You can check out his position on these and other issues at http://www.electbruce.org/default.htm
So, I am writing today to ask you to join me and the hundreds of other Mercer Island residents who know that electing Bruce Bassett to City Council position #5 is a vote for a better Mercer Island today and tomorrow.
Toby Suhm
submitted to the Mercer Island Reporter 10/17/07. Not yet published.
I enthusiastically endorse Bruce Bassett for city council. Although I favor heavily on the conservative side, Bruce is still getting my vote. When it comes to the issues that are pertinent to running our beautiful city and maintaining the culture and environment that we all cherish so much, we share the same vision.
I am a lifelong, 37-year resident of Mercer Island. Having known Bruce for about 4 years now, I know that he will do everything he can to maintain a viable community that is rich in community involvement, strong in maintaining our parks and outdoor space, committed to our children's education, and vibrant in our forward vision.
Please join me in supporting Bruce Bassett for City Council. It is a vote that should span party lines for the sake of our families, children, environment, and the community as a whole.
John Brondello III
Time Equipment Company