StatesmanJournalquestionnairefor2015SalemKeizerTransitcandidates

Thankyouforrespondingtothisquestionnaire.
Whythismatters:TheStatesmanJournalEditorialBoardwillusethisquestionnaireindeciding
whomtoendorseintheMay19SpecialDistrictElection.Youranswersalsowillbesharedwith
reportersforthenewsstoriestheywriteandmaybepublishedintheprintnewspaperand/oron
StatesmanJournal.com.
Pleaserespondtoeveryquestion,insteadofsimplyattachingcampaignmaterials,resumes,etc.
Youarewelcometosendaresume,etc.,inadditiontothisquestionnaire,butthatisnotrequired.
PleasereturnthefinishedquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardviaemailasanattachedWord
documenttoSalemed@StatesmanJournal.com.(Handwrittenorfaxresponsesarenotaccepted.)
Important:Pleasereturnthecompletedquestionnaireby9a.m.Friday,April24.
Questions?ContactEditorialPageEditorDickHughes,5033996727,dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com,or
EditorialAssistantNancyHarrington,5033996864,nharring@StatesmanJournal.com.

Yourname:RichardStevenson
Age:63
(IfyouragewillchangebeforeMay19,pleaseindicateyourbirthday.Wewanttoensureweuse
accurateagesinpreandpostelectioneditorialsandnewscoverage.)
AreyoucurrentlyafulltimeresidentofSalemKeizerTransitSubdistrict2?Yes
Numberofcurrent,consecutiveyearslivinginSubdistrict2:7years,9months

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Family(nameofspouse/partner,numberandagesofchildrenifathomeornumberofgrown
children):Spouse:DebraWardwehave3grownchildrenbetweenus.
Youreducation(highschool,trade,college,postbaccalaureateindicatediplomas/degreesyou
earned):SayrevilleWarMemorialHighSchool1969NJBellElectronicsandElectricity
PeopleProAmericanAcademyofOrthopedicsEMTA1977recertified1980,1983,1986
ICARandASECertified(longexpired).
Ifemployed,currentoccupation,employerandjobduties:DisabledduetoESRD.
Previousemployersandwhen:NJBellTelephoneCo.1970to1987Automotiveconsultant
1987to2003.
SalemKeizerTransitcommittees,activitiesororganizationsinwhichyouareorhavebeen
involved(pleaseincludeapproximateyearssuchas,2011presentforthisquestionandthe
followingones):MemberSKTBoardofDirectorsCitizenAdvisoryCommittee20122014
CurrentChairoftheCommittee.
Otherexperienceinpublicorprivatetransit/transportation(pleasebespecific):none
Militaryserviceandwhen:none
Othervolunteer/civic/religiousserviceandwhen:ColoniaFirstAidSquad1976to1989
Pleaselistallpublicofficestowhichyouvebeenelected,andwhen:none
Pleaselistanyunsuccessfulcandidaciesforpublicoffice,andwhen:none

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Howthepubliccanreachyourcampaign(rememberthatthisinformationwillbemadepublic):
Mailaddress:6649HiddenCreekLoopNE,Keizer,OR973037881
Emailaddress:rsteve97303@gmail.com
Website:none
Facebook:www.facebook.com/RSsubdistrict2
Othersocialmedia:NA
Phone:5033397053

Pleaselimityourresponsetoeachofthefollowingquestionstoabout75words.
1. WhatpromptedyoutorunfortheSalemKeizerTransitBoardthisyear?IappliedforaCAC
positionin2012withtheexpressgoalofrestoringSaturdayservice.Inmysecondterminthe
CAC,movingontoaBoardseatisthenextlogicalstep.MyserviceontheCAChasmademe
uniquelytoserveinthecapacityofBoardDirector.
2. WhatspecificskillsandtraitswouldyoubringtotheSalemKeizerTransitBoard?Whatis
theboardlackingthatyouwouldprovide?Iconsidermyselftobededicated,thorough,able
tofindcompromisesandpersuasive.Ialsohaveautomotiveknowledgeandvastcustomer
serviceexperience.
3. HowoftendoyourideCherriotsbuses?Beingtransitdependent,Iamalmostapermanent
fixtureonthebusses.Iridealmostdaily.
4. HowoftendoyouuseotherSalemKeizerTransitservices,andwhichones?
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IoccasionallyuseCARTSandCherryLiftwherethereisnofixedrouteservice.
5. Whatisthelargestbudgetyouhavehandled?Themonthlyautoshopbudgetisbasedonthe
currentmonthlysales.Mymonthlyaveragewas100,000dollars.Carryoutoverayearis1.2
million,=.
6. Whoencouragedyoutorunforthetransitboard?Whoareyourmajorsupporters
(individuals,groups,etc.)?IwasencouragedtorunbyseveralDirectors.Mysupporters
include:SteveEvans,Directorsubdistrict1andboardliasiontotheCACBradCoy,
DirectorSubdistrict2andboardcoliasiontotheCACJohnHammill,Directorsubdistrict
4andMichaelDeblasiKeizerPlanningCommission.
7. Ifelected,howmanyhoursaweekdoyouexpecttospendontransitbusiness?Icurrently
spendabout4hoursaweek,butIamretiredandcanspendasmuchtimeasneeded.
8. HowmanySalemKeizerTransitBoardmeetingshaveyouattendedinpersonduring2014
15?
Ihaveattended9boardmeetingsandwatchedthebalanceonCCTV.Ihaveattended2or3
worksessionsandallCACmeetingsin2014todate.
9. Pleaselistfivespecificaccomplishmentsthatyouhaveachievedincivicaffairs:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

CaptainColoniaFirstAidSquad,memberofexecutiveboard.
PatientAmbassadorDavitaDialysisServices
Speaker/FundraiserSecondChanceFoundationofSouthernNevada
HelpeddesignCherriotsRoute18andhelpedselectnewbusshelterdesign
CurrentChairCitizensAdvisoryCommittee

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10. Shouldbusservicebeexpandedtoincludelongereveningservice,Saturdayandor/Sunday?
Whyorwhynot?Serviceshouldbeexpanded.Thereareonly6statecapitolcitiesintheUS
thatdonotofferanyformofweekendservice.Salemisonthislist,andhasthelargest
population.Expandingservicewillincreaseopportunitiesfortourism,localbusiness,easier
andmorepredictabletravelforourriders,createjobsandstimulatethelocaleconomy.
11. Ifthedistrictexpandsservice,howshoulditbepaidfor?Whatapproachwouldyoufavor?
Iftheballotmeasurepasses,theservicewillbeexpanded.Ibelieveapayrolltaxisabetter
solutionbecauseitestablishespermanentfundingandguaranteesservicelevelstayconstant.
12.Howmuchwillyourcampaigncost(bespecific)?Iwillspendnomorethan200dollars.
13.Haveyoueverbeenconvictedofamisdemeanororfelonycrime,beendisciplinedbya
professionallicensingboard/organizationorhadanethicsviolationfiledagainstyou?Ifso,
pleasegivethedetails.
no
14.Haveyoueverfiledforbankruptcy,beendelinquentonyourtaxesorothermajoraccounts,
orbeensuedpersonallyorprofessionally?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
Ihaveneverfilesbankruptcy,Ihavebeenthevictimofidentitytheftanditseemsthatnever
ends.Iwassuedforanautomobileaccident,butIprevailed.
15.Whatarethethreemostimportantissuesyouwouldaddressifelected,andhow?
a. Eventuallyimprovefrequencyofallbusroutesto15minutesallthetime.
b.Increasethenumberofbussheltersandrehaboldersheltersasneeded.
c.ImproveourADAservicesonallSAMTDservices.
16.WhatdoyouseeasotherimportantissuesfortheSalemKeizerTransitDistrict?
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EstablishashuttleforlocalKeizerbusinessesalongthecorridor,VolcanostadiumandRotary
Ampitheater.
17.WhereandhowdoyougetyournewsaboutwhatishappeningwiththeSalemKeizer
TransitDistrict?
BesidesattendingBoardmeetingsandCACmeetings,ImeetbimonthlywiththeGeneral
Managerofthetransitdistrict.
18.Anyskeletonsinyourclosetorotherpotentiallyembarrassinginformationthatyoushould
disclosebeforeitcomesupinthecampaign?Anything(includinghealthissues)thatwould
affectyourabilitytoserveyourfullterm?Anychangesinyourlifesituationthatare
contemplatedorexpectedbeforetheelectionorbeforeyouwouldtakeoffice?
No,therearenoskeletons.AlthoughIamdisabled,Igetregularcheckupsandmyconditionis
stable.Ihavenoelectiveproceduresonthehorizon,andamabletoserve.
Thankyou.PleasereturnthisquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardasanattachedWorddocumentto
Salemed@StatesmanJournal.comby9a.m.Friday,April24.

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