John Hayes Holman has announced his candidacy for Auburn City Council, Position 5.
“I grew up in and have chosen to live and raise a family in Auburn,” said Holman, son of former Auburn School District Superintendent Hayes Holman. “Auburn is a healthy, vibrant, diverse community and a good place to live. Good governance is central to a healthy community.
I believe the Auburn City Council has an essential role in making Auburn a good place to live and work. My goal is to help make Auburn an even better place.”
Holman called governance “a broad task,” requiring principles and strong beliefs. But he, adds, those are not enough.
“Councils work in concert: no single member has the ability to enact ordinances or perform City work by themselves,” Holman said. “The ability to work with others and reach collaborative decisions is essential. If one is not in the majority, then the task is to seek consensus. When I find myself in the minority, I believe in working hard to convince others of my point of view, while working equally hard to understand the other point of view.
“It is my experience that better decisions are made through open minded and respectful deliberation,” Holman added.
Position 5 incumbent Virginia Haugen is expected to seek reelection.
The official filing period for public office is in June.
After graduating from Auburn Senior High School in 1967, Holman attended Green River Community College. He transferred to Central Washington State University, graduating with a degree in sociology and education. He worked most of his life as a police officer with the Port of Seattle Police Department, retiring after 31 years of service as a captain. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the University of Washington’s Graduate School of Public Affairs, Law Enforcement Executive Institute.
Duty overseas
After retiring from the Port of Seattle Police Department, Holman volunteered to serve in Baghdad, Iraq as an international police liaison officer. His mission was to establish a police department capable of functioning under the rule of law in a democracy. His main task was to mentor the chief of police in Baghdad Province and establish a strong, professional 26,000 officer department.
“I returned home after a year and settled into the role of grandpa, the best job any man could ever wish for,” Holman said. “When my own children were little, I was engaged in making a living. Things like first steps and words were all too often missed. I was granted a second chance with my grandson, Cameron. This has given me some of the most fulfilling and satisfying times of my life. It has also given me an understanding of the importance of safe and stimulating public facilities in our community.”
Holman has served as a member of the Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County for four years, a quasi-judicial board that uses a set of determining factors to judge the feasibility of urban boundaries for cities and special districts. He is the chairperson.
“I continue to look for opportunities to serve. A quote from Armand Hammer has hung on my office wall for many years: ‘I can’t think of anything better to do with a life than to wear it out in efforts to be useful to others.’ I would like very much to serve my community on the Auburn City Council,” said Holman.
Incumbent Bill Peloza has no rivals for Position 3, according to the website of the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission. Councilmembers Sue Singer, Position 1, and Lynn Norman, Position 7, will not seek reelection.
Largo Wales, former executive director of ACAP Child and Family Services, has announced for Position 1. According to the PDC, Auburn resident Wayne Osbourne will seek Norman’s position, although he has not yet made a formal announcement.
