BOB HEGAMIN -- CITIZENS FOR OFF-LEASH AREAS (COLA)

 

1. Tell us about your experience with dogs.

Not pleasant. A dog bit me when I was about eleven years of age. That event took place in China in the late 1930's, which meant that I was forced to take the series of ten rabies shots. Since then I have been a confirmed "cat person".

 

2. Which off-leash areas have you visited?

None. Since I don't have any friends in Seattle who own dogs, my normal relations with those friends don't offer any reasons to visit off-leash areas.

 

3. How would you balance the competing desires for dedicated public spaces such as ballfields, off-leash areas, boat launches, etc.?

I can appreciate the competition for dedicated public spaces involving baseball fields, soccer fields and off-leash areas, but not boat launches. I don't believe there should be any competition between ballfields and off-leash areas since they are all legitimate needs of a community. It just takes a great deal of conscientious planning with all needs being considered.

4. Seattle Municipal Code states that the Volunteer Park off-leash area is a temporary site, but it will remain open until another location on Capitol Hill can be found for a permanent off-leash area. If no other location can be found on Capitol Hill, as a Councilmember would you vote to make the temporary site a permanent site?

Certainly. The time has come for the controversy to come to an end of whether to have or not have dog-leash areas. Enough time was consumed to establish even the temporary status at Volunteer Park, I cannot imagine the City and the people of Seattle, using even more of their time to find another location to replace one that has already proven worthwhile.

 

5. How would you allocate funding amongst competing city-sponsored recreational activities: i.e. ballfields, off-leash area, boat launches. etc.?

Funding all the different demands for public spaces requires assessments of each demand. I would establish a point system for funding based on community inputs for and against such projects.

 

6. Given that off-leash areas have proved to build community, deter crime, and provide a place for voting, taxpaying citizens to recreate with their family and pets, where would you support siting additional off-leash areas?

I have no knowledge that off-leash areas have done all that has been described in the question. I would support siting additional off-leash areas assuming the existing ones in use have performed their intended function. Where new ones could be sited would again be left up to the communities. Obviously it involves a long tedious process, far beyond the time given in this survey.

 

7. When you are elected to the Seattle City Council, will you vote to support off-leash areas?

Yes.

 

8. If you don't respond to this survey, can we assume that you believe dog off-leash-areas are "for the birds"?

No. However, since I've taken the time to answer this survey, the issue is moot with respect to myself. In response to the assumption you would have made had I not responded, I can not understand why you would have wanted to assume the worst of me or any of the other candidates. We may have many reasons for not responding to questionnaires but, I can assure you, the last thing we would want to do is belittle the concerns of the electorate.

 

9. Please add any comments you would like to share with our members and supporters.

In future surveys, I am certain it would help respondents return your questionnaires in a more timely manner by including in the instructions, (1) a due date and (2) a maximum number of words allowed.