Four candidates filed for Sammamish City Council Position 7 for the Aug. 1 primary. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 7 general election.

Below are the initial candidate statements. Sammamish Comment will have coverage throughout the campaign to the primary and general elections.

Questions Asked

1. A short bio, including your current employment
2. How long you have lived in Sammamish
3. Any civic activities you’ve engaged in.
4. Your top 3 issues for your campaign.
5. Your website.

Roger Chapanis

[I was] born in Baltimore, MD in 1948. I moved to Bellevue in 1985. And in 1986, I relocated to my current address in Sammamish. I am a retired technical writer.

I volunteer two days per week at the Issaquah Senior Center.

The top three issues for [my] campaign are financial planning, growth management (planning) and parks & recreation planning

Website: none

Melanie Curtright

I have lived in the PNW for 22 years and Sammamish for 14.  I am a Program and Project Management Consultant for a company called Guidacent and have worked at many of the region’s large multi-national companies.  I am a single mom and have two teenage boys that I adopted from China and Cambodia.

[I] volunteer with my sons for EarthCorps, PAWS and Little Bit. I am a Precinct Officer for the 45th Legislative District.

The top three issues:.

• Open and transparent government that ensures all voices are heard, outreach to the community;
• Create and build on programs that support families and engage teens in the community and government; and
• Balancing development with environmental stewardship

Website: melanie4sammamish.com

John Robinson

I was born in the UK and the son of English immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in 1949 to escape post-WWII Europe. My family’s immigration set the foundation for my belief that America is stronger because of its immigrants.

I served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1972 in police security services and was stationed in Viet Nam from 1969 to 1970, where I was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal. My love of our country grew from my service.

My early life was in Los Angeles, where I was raised and educated. I graduated from California State University at Northridge in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and minors in chemistry and medical technology. Additionally, I earned a Series 7 license for the securities industry in 1976 and was employed by Merrill Lynch as a securities broker until 1980. I moved to the Seattle area in 1978, where I met my wife Daphne and we started our family of four daughters and two grandchildren.

I then combined my science education and business education to join an international medical device manufacturer that provides software and analytical equipment for the clinical laboratory. This opportunity evolved into founding my own company in 1988 in healthcare providing software solutions for the clinical and pharmaceutical laboratory.

My late career was with several international medical device companies as a director of sales and manager of accounts and lead to my retirement in late 2016.

We have lived in Sammamish since 1988.

My family and I were one of three founding member families of Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in Sammamish from 1990. Additionally, I served as the Science Night Coordinator for Margaret Mead Elementary School from 2000-2003 promoting science in our elementary school.

The top three issues for my campaign:

• Traffic – representing the growth we have experienced and how we must proactively manage growth in the future by strengthening our codes.
• Trees – representing our entire environment with my goal to protect it as we grow our community. This is one of our identifying characters as a city and must be protected.
• Money – representing our financial challenges of how to pay for services while we grow. I am fiscally conservative and believe that “growth pays for growth.” Our operating and capital budgets must be balanced without increasing taxes.

Website: http://www.votejohnrobinson.com (active by June 1). I have a Facebook page “vote john robinson” which is active and a campaign email address of votejohnrobinson@gmail.com.

Pamela Stuart

[I am a] mother of two, senior program manager in customer and partner advocacy at Microsoft with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a concentration in Economics from the University of Maryland.  With 25 years of experience in consulting and at Microsoft, I’ve used my technical acumen, communication skills, and project management expertise to consistently deliver results.

After accepting a job with Microsoft, we relocated here from the Washington (DC) area almost 15 years ago.  We fell in love with Sammamish and have lived and raised our children here ever since.  We love the community and being involved with our children, their schools, and activities.  I’ve served as president of the Parent Teacher Organization, coached basketball through the Boys and Girls club, and served on the board of Eastlake Little League.

I also train and teach martial arts with my children here in Sammamish where I recently earned a black belt in both Arnis and Tae Kwon Do.

Our investment in the community runs deep with my husband owning a successful small business here, a music studio where he provides private music lessons, and he is the controller of a Sammamish-based non-profit, Athletes for Kids.

My priorities focus on the sustainability of our growth plan that balances development with infrastructure improvements and protecting our natural resources. This includes attracting diverse businesses so Sammamish residents can work and play where they live; reducing traffic through the city and increasing our transportation options, including public and private partnerships; and investing in senior services to support our retired residents.

I will work to ensure the Sammamish City Council uses the ideals of stewardship, caring, and inclusion as our guiding principles.

While we have many challenges ahead over the coming years, I believe we also have so much room to not only keep Sammamish the special place it is today but to continue to improve and become an even better place for us and for our children.  As a mom, I want my kids to be proud to be from Sammamish and to love coming home once they venture out on their own.

Website is www.ElectPamStuart.com.