Former humane society board president to seek elected seat
The election that will decide who serves on the Healdsburg City Council next year is more than six months away, but candidates are emerging this spring.
Evelyn Mitchell, who moved to Healdsburg in 1998, is known for her 11-year tenure as a board member for the Humane Society of Sonoma County, which opoerates the former Healdsburg Animal Shelter.
She served for five years as board president, during the difficult time when the organization took over the failed shelter, repaired construction defects and reopened it. “I was proud of our board for taking that risk,” she said. “The community was so angry; I’m honored and pleased at where we are today.”
In March, she announced her candidacy for a city council seat. “I feel like I want to continue to give back, it’s time to expand my horizons,” Mitchell said. “We’re at a time where my skills can help.”
What are those skills and how do they apply to governing a small city? Mitchell is a business consultant, with an MBA from Golden Gate University. “I’ve worked most of my career in finance,” she said. “My experience in business, strategic planning and setting goals will be valuable.”
Mitchell is a third generation Californian, born in San Francisco and raised in Palo Alto. While in college in Connecticut she worked for Save the Children and said she moved back to California to be near her parents. Her resumé includes working for Redwood Oil and then as a business consultant for Moss Adams before striking out on her own. She is married to Tom O’Hair.
Mitchell said, as a nonprofit board member, she was thoughtful about boundaries. “It’s important for us to understand our role, which is to provide guidance and governance and let the staff do their job. I think that’s a relevant experience to being a council member. Prioritization is important, it’s easy to get distracted.”
What does she think of the current city council? “The council has done a fabulous job, look at the recent (community satisfaction) survey results. But, it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole. You have a finite amount of resources in a small city and you can’t do everything at once.”
What are the issues from the perspective of a would-be Healdsburg city council member? “Housing, hotels, tourists, cannabis, a gun law; some of this is divisive, some of it is not.”
The election will be held on November 6. The filing period for a seat will officially open this summer and the deadline to file will be in August. The exact date will be based on whether the current incumbents run for reelection.
Brigette Mansell, who was elected in 2014 and is serving as the mayor this year, has not yet decided whether to run again. “I am still considering running for another term. I will let you know,” said Mansell by email recently
One sitting council member is definitely running again. Leah Gold, who served a four year term in 2000-2004, was returned to the council in a special election last year, filling a seat made vacant by a resignation. “I feel I’m just gaining momentum and hope to accomplish a lot more, given a full term,” Gold said. She will be profiled, along with other candidates as they declare, in a future edition of the Tribune.
Candidates for Healdsburg City Council must live in the city limits, be willing to serve a four-year term and fill out financial disclosure forms that are available to the public. There are two seats up for election this fall.
