The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Having been appointed to the Electric City Council twice, Carol Nordine would like to continue in that role to see projects finished and new ones begun.

Now she'd like to be elected to keep her seat at council in Position 4. She's facing challenger Cate Slater.

Nordine said the city was only starting to work on the Ice Age Park when she started on the council, and she is happy to see that project coming to fruition. She hopes to see another park with a basketball court completed soon, as well.

"Our town doesn't have a city park, so I'm glad we're getting that finished," she said, noting that Elmer City, Coulee Dam, and Grand Coulee all have parks.

Nordine said that resistance to change is a top challenge faced by the council and the city.

"Changes are hard for people to live through and adjust to," she said. "Sometimes changes are hard, but please, folks, let's see what the new changes look like before we become so negative."

Nordine feels that a lot of recent criticisms of changes in the city come from a lack of participation of people with their government and low attendance at council meetings over the years.

"It's taken five years to get that one park done," she said, "so it's not like we just did that overnight and decided we were going to build it. Or that corner in front of city hall; that was started a long time ago. People didn't start complaining until we started doing it."

Despite criticisms that Nordine feels are overly negative, she said that most people she talks to are optimistic about projects the city is working on and will appreciate them once they are done.

She also spoke to some of the limits of the city council and the protocol of city hall. "Knowing what we can and can't do is vital," she said. "As a city council, we have rules and regulations to go by. ... I already know what we have on the table and why. Long-reaching projects take time, from the inception to the completion."

Nordine added that she feels City Clerk Russ Powers has done a good job of securing grant money for projects and using the city's reserves to get that money.

She said that new sidewalks will give people someplace to walk to get away from the "cars whizzing by you much faster than the posted speed limits," and that the sidewalks will "direct runoff water to the storm drains and off private property."

Nordine said other challenges the city faces include getting new businesses there, and making the city attractive to them in the first place.

"I would address these challenges by making our city look inviting and [like] a community I would like to visit," she said.

Nordine and her husband John Nordine Sr. moved to the area in 2010. They have two dogs, one cat, two fish, two children, including the current mayor, and four grandchildren.

Prior to moving to the area, Nordine worked in the Omak School District for 20 years, starting in a day treatment program for troubled teenagers.

"It's an awesome thing to do because most people have given up on teenagers that have troubles," Nordine said about the job that probably helped shape how she's relates to people. "I think the patience and understanding for things and people come a lot from there."

She said that job, as well as raising foster children for about 20 years, helped give her helpful experience working with people.

"I don't know why people do what they do when I haven't walked in their shoes," she said. I look for the best in people and the best way to help them."

Nordine currently volunteers as the director of the Care and Share Food Bank.

"I love this area, I really do," she said. "It's friendly, for the most part. It's small, and I like that."