Above:
Nathaniel Jones, Olympia Mayor Pro Tem, announced on Wednesday that he is running
for mayor of Olympia. The position is currently held by Mayor Cheryl Selby. File photo from January, 2016.
By
Janine Gates
Little
Hollywood
https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com
Leadership
and transparency are top priorities
Olympia Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Jones announced
on Wednesday that he is launching a campaign for mayor of Olympia.
The position is currently held by Mayor Cheryl
Selby.
In a press release, Jones stated that he will restore confidence in the city’s
direction and ensure that community members are not shut out of key decisions.
Jones has served as Olympia’s Mayor Pro Tem since
being elected to the city council in 2011. He was
reelected to a second four year term in November 2015. Among other assignments, Jones serves on the council’s Land Use and Environment Committee.
Regarding the homeless, Jones called for “compassionate
accountability and effective management of unacceptable and unhealthy
conditions” at tent encampments in downtown Olympia.
He also touted his role in creating final
adjustments to the “Missing Middle” ordinance which changed zoning and land use
rules to accommodate more housing options city-wide. The ordinance was adopted
by the council on November 5.
He also referred to his role in restoring Olympia’s
downtown walking patrol and the launch of a mental health crisis response team.
Jones left his position at the state Department of
Enterprise Services about 18 months ago to focus on city issues.
Regarding the mental health crisis response team,
Jones told Little Hollywood that there will be a city council study session on the initiative on
December 4. Implementation of the plan is expected in January.
“Trained first-responders will deescalate and
address non-criminal disruptions without police. This will free up police to do
their job and provide far more appropriate help to people in crisis. There’s a
focus on downtown but the team will be available throughout the city,” he said.
Jones said he will have a campaign kick-off at a
later date.
“It’s too early in the calendar for that now - heck
we’re still counting (election) ballots. I announced now because I think it’s
only fair for others to know what I’m doing,” added Jones.
