A Lookout View: Krista Jett, John Lewis and Donna Lind for Scotts Valley City Council

Editor’s note: A Lookout View is the opinion of our Community Voices opinion section, written by our editorial board, which consists of Community Voices Editor Jody K. Biehl and Lookout Founder Ken Doctor. Our goal is to connect the dots we see in the news and offer a bigger-picture view — all intended to see Santa Cruz County meet the challenges of the day and to shine a light on issues we believe must be on the public agenda. These views are distinct and independent from the work of our newsroom and its reporting.

Scotts Valley is at a critical crossroads. It prides itself on small-town charm and “everybody knows everybody” mentality.

But that homey vision is bumping up against hard truths: state mandates to build 1,200 units of housing in a 12,000-person town that has barely grown in 20 years, too-familar unaffordability (with median home prices at about $1.3 million) and a $2 million city budget deficit.

Change is needed – and coming, whether folks like it or not.

The overriding question: How and where those 1,200 new homes – adding well more than 10% to the population – get built? Further, and closely related: how the long-sought, finally-at-the-threshold Town Center dream emerges. The answers to those questions will define the next four years – and the work of the next set of councilmembers. So will fiscal choices to help the city climb out of its hole.

We were thrilled to see seven candidates – six who are new to politics – vying for three open city council seats. It’s made this a race to watch and left us wondering what they’ve put in the water in Scotts Valley to push so many to care fervently enough about democracy and public service to run. Whatever it is, our whole county and nation could use a swallow.

This race sees a trusted old guard exiting city politics and leaving two open seats. Randy Johnson, whose first term was 1996, and Jack Dilles, elected in 2016, are bowing out. Donna Lind, who has already served four terms on the council, is running again – she says she’s doing it only to maintain continuity and serve as a mentor for new councilmembers.

Lookout held 30- to 40-minute discussions with each candidate, looking for a clear vision  on how Scotts Valley can meet the state’s mandates, right the budget woes or which path the Town Center should take (the town has published three possible visions). We pushed for answers on the availability of water, potential impact on traffic, roads and schools.  

Among the candidates, Lookout has selected Lind along with Krista Jett and John Lewis. They would join Derek Timm and Allan Timms, holdovers on the council. 

Our choices represent a smattering of old and new, a recognition that diversity and new ideas are needed, as are institutional knowledge and moderation. We hope these candidates – all of whom have divergent views – will find a way to work together and help Scotts Valley move smartly into a future with more affordable homes and attention to budget.  

Lind, who was Scotts Valley’s first female police officer in 1968 – just two years after the city incorporated – has been a public servant for 56 years. Our vote for her is a vote for history and continuity – a recognition of the hard work she has done, reputation she has earned and institutional knowledge she possesses. She is worried about change – about the ideas of some of the younger candidates – and aligned herself with Steve Clark and Corky Roberson, who both have deep roots in the community and are also concerned about maintaining the city’s character and charm. We appreciate that sentiment, but we don’t see only more of the same as viable or smart given the budget and state mandates. Lind is against county Measure Q, the parcel tax for environmental resilience, but, like all the candidates running, supports Measure X, the Scotts Valley business tax hike.

Krista Jett epitomizes the best traits of a new councilmember. She comes in with ideas of what she wants to improve from her lived experience as a mom of kids ages 6 and 8 and as a part-time pediatric nurse practitioner at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. She admits she has much to learn about politics and budgets, but says she is ready and a quick study. She comes from a political family – she remembers canvassing for Bill Clinton with her dad, a former mayor of Hanford, the Central Valley town where she grew up. Her brother serves as chief of staff to state Sen. Melissa Hurtado in Kings County. The council does not have any health care providers on it, nor does it have any mothers with young kids. Counting Lind, it has only one woman. Jett’s first focus, she said, would be on parks and the quality of bike trails, because that is what she heard on the campaign trail. She supports incremental development – 300 housing units, rather than 600, for the Town Center. She also supports city help for after-school child care. She said she is undecided on Measure Q.

Our endorsement of John Lewis is a vote for change. We know his innovative thinking and questions about process concern the old guard, but he impressed us with his understanding of the budget – he’s an information technology worker and said he’s used to making small budgets stretch and finding creative solutions – and his new way of looking at old problems. He participated in the city’s citizens academy and was among the most well-versed in budget questions. He did his homework. He’s been in town for only five years and this is his second try for office. We think he might be what Scotts Valley needs. To succeed, he will need allies. If he doesn’t bring others around to his thinking, he’ll be isolated. He told us many times Scotts Valley residents “deserve more” and that change has been too slow. He thinks the Town Center should get going incrementally and spoke convincingly of upgrades needed at the water treatment plant, staffing issues at city hall and the dismal state of the parks and recreation budget. He is unafraid of the hard questions councils need to ask to move forward effectively. He is for Measure Q and, like Jett, wants to see the city fund after-school programs.

Steve Clark and Corky Roberson have been laudable public servants, and both have distinguished themselves in volunteer work since retirement. Steve has an insider understanding of how city and government works and connections built in a long career in the Santa Cruz Police Department. Dustin Lopez and Mercedes Molloy, both 24, are impressive, budding politicians and people to watch, but we don’t think they have enough community or political experience to be good choices at such a critical juncture for the city. We look forward to seeing how their careers develop and hope to see them try for commissions and other positions to deepen their understanding of city politics.