What qualities and experience would I bring to the Clark County Council?
Throughout a decades long career troubleshooting process and engineering problems at various semiconductor manufacturing customer sites worldwide, I have found that many times a problem is simply a disagreement in defining the problem. Once agreement on what the problem actually is, the solution is much easier to implement.
Collaboration to me is a better problem solving method than just plain compromise. Identifying a problem is paramount to finding equitable solutions. Collaboration allows all the stakeholders to find the best way to take on that identified problem.
A Record of Public Service
I have been a member and officer of many civic and community organizations over the past 15 years. I am a founding member and officer of SW WA LULAC Council which is celebrating its 11th year, a former director of Columbia River Mental Health Foundation, a member and former director of Vancouver Farmers Market, and chair of Slow Foods SW WA dedicated to improving sustainable agriculture, founder of Stone Soup Community Meal which has been serving our community for 8 years, and founder and officer of Community Roots Collaborative, a nonprofit which now has a proven record of building and providing permanent housing for the homeless and very low-income individuals. All these positions have been strictly voluntary, and none have been paid positions. I have served with the sense of wanting to improve our community.
Balance Development with Protecting our Natural Resources
While there is always a need for housing, we must take into account the damage we cause during construction and then control the run-off of water into streams and aquifers. Wetland swap credits may or may not work to protect our watersheds, so we must take extreme care when we attempt to build near sensitive areas. Even on existing neighborhood developments, education is key to making sure run-off is captured in bio-swales and bio-filter ponds. We must do a better job of informing the public that the use of chemicals on lawns and shrubs affects the water they drink.
Homelessness & the Economically Disadvantaged
RCW 36.32.415 authorizes counties to make programs and funding available for low-income homeowners and development companies. Vancouver is leading the way in providing these types of funds and I have personal involvement in a nonprofit that is building small truly affordable permanent housing for homeless and very low-income individuals and families. These are models that the county can follow and participate in to alleviate homelessness in our community. By seeking special grants and working in public/private collaboration, we can build truly affordable housing and provide needed services to enable the homeless to regain dignity, have the stability needed to find jobs and rebuild their lives, and in some cases regain custody of their children. The RCW also allows counties to assist hard-working families to remain in their existing residences, which is in the long run much less expensive than having to assist families and individuals regain their footing from being homeless.
Climate Change and its Impact on Our Environment
Temperature increases affect rainfall and snowpack. This is critical in both the growing season and fire season. Larger fires can cause 10s of millions in damage to forests and homes. A drier growing season detrimentally affects our food sources. Climate change is here, we must change what we do, and adapt to the new reality of where we live and what food we can grow. Temperature increases affect stream and river temperatures detrimentally. Higher temperatures affect fish populations. Fewer fish, smaller catches, less food.
Address Issues Related to Clark County’s Infrastructure
Transportation seems to be the most pressing issue, some safety improvements to traffic flow can continue to be accomplished by the proven, effective use of traffic circles (roundabouts). The cost of the design, installation, and maintenance is completely avoided, saving the taxpayer money. There is a growing need for pedestrian walkways and pedestrian bridges in growth boundaries. Sidewalks make walking to the grocery store or the walk to school safer.
Improving public transportation routes and frequencies will allow more people to get to work on time, meet with colleagues, and get to medical appointments on time. Adding wifi on public transportation is a way to make commuting productive as it allows an individual to do that bit of work on a report, send emails to clients, or enable a working mom to finish the homework assignment on her way home from work.
Growth planning should include the critical services, fire stations, ERTs, and EMTs, we know we need those things and have a plan for funding those services instead of asking for funding after the fact. And building them later just costs more.
Racial Inequities in Clark County
I have worked for many years on the VPD Chief’s Diversity Advisory Team and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Latino Leaders’ Roundtable. The majority of discussions have centered around three things, miscommunications between law enforcement and various communities, budget shortfalls, and the blurred lines between enforcement and mental health responses to help solve homelessness issues. I see progress, but we need continuing improvements in communications and policy changes to assure the protection of all our community’s residents. Medical and mental health services are a critical component of public safety. The county must now increase the effort of bolstering communications between the diverse cultures present in our community and provide equitable services to all residents.
About Hector Hinojosa:
Working alongside my father on Texas farms from age 11 to when I left for college to study engineering, I know and respect hard work. My career in semiconductors took me to many cities and countries, but moving to Vancouver 30 years ago felt like I was home again. My strength is leading people to jointly identify problems, find solutions, and bring them to completion.
For example, I am founding member and leader of organizations including Stone Soup Community Meal and Community Roots Collaborative which built over 20 tiny homes for the houseless. I am an advisor to Clark County Sheriff’s Office, VPD Chief’s Diversity Advisory Team, and Clark College Social Equity Advisory Committee.
Most of us agree that people should not be living on the streets, population growth does not require cutting down all the trees and paving over all the farmland, and law enforcement must keep everyone safe.
As your county councilor, I will focus on these and other problems and find cost-effective solutions. Those who know me realize that beyond my low-key nature is a strong passionate advocate that will work diligently to improve the lives of everyone in Vancouver and Clark County. I respectfully ask for your vote.
Work, life, and civic experience.
The majority of my career has been in Engineering Field Service. Troubleshooting manufacturing equipment and solving process problems of semiconductor processes has been my forte. I have travelled extensively in Europe, Asia, and the US, and have lived in France and and Italy. I’ve spent much time in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Spain.
I have served as board member, director, or officer of non profits organizations involved with food security, mental health, civic engagement and civil rights, and founded a non profit housing development corporation with the mission to build small permanent home neighborhoods for those in need.
