Willoughby throws hat in ring for Chelan County Commissioner race

MANSON—Chris Willoughby, a longtime resident of the Lake Chelan Valley, has announced his candidacy for the Chelan County Commissioner District 3 position. The announcement, made on April 18, comes as Willoughby seeks to address concerns and find solutions for the county's residents.

In his announcement letter, Willoughby stated, "Change is inevitable, and progress can and should not be stopped. It is how change and progress are managed that is important to most communities."

Willoughby, who has been a member of the Manson Community Council for several years, has a long history of public service. "Public service has been a lifelong passion for me," he wrote. At the age of 16, I started as a volunteer firefighter with several others when we helped to form Explorer Post 57, which allowed young men and women the chance to explore firefighting as a career."

Since then, Willoughby has served as a Volunteer Firefighter/EMT for over three decades and currently serves as a Chelan County Fire District 5 Fire Commissioner in Manson. He has also served as an EMT for Lake Chelan Valley EMS for nearly 20 years and as a Reserve Marine Deputy for the Chelan County Marine Patrol.

With a background in agriculture, Willoughby has worked and managed several apple orchards throughout his career and currently manages a family orchard in Manson. "As a family, we have suffered through all of the lows and also enjoyed the highs. Some of those orchards still have trees that were planted by my grandparents and great grandparents, and still are going strong today," he wrote.

As a candidate, Willoughby aims to tackle issues such as embracing tourism, affordable housing, and high property taxes. "Every positive should be embraced, every problem has a solution. It is how one resolves the problem that is important. Problem solving and implementation of solutions is a must in farming, and emergency services, and this is where I feel my strengths are, in problem solving," he stated in his announcement letter.

The third district comprises North Wenatchee, Sunnyslope, Entiat, Chelan, and Manson.