I recently had the opportunity to attend a candidate's forum hosted at the Normandy Park Cove. It was an interesting evening to see local politicians in such a low-key, small-scale atmosphere. While the hotly debated Port of Seattle race dominated the majority of the evening, it was the race for Highline Water Commission that made the largest impression on me.

I know that both Dan Johnson and Scott Hilsen are local guys from Normandy Park. Both are involved in the community in one form or another, and both are currently commissioners. Johnson is the incumbent while Hilsen serves as a sewer district commissioner. So, on paper, both would seem to be well-qualified candidates. But the one thing that stuck with me after leaving the meeting that evening was that Johnson really seemed to "know his stuff."

Before Dan Johnson spoke, I never really understood what a commissioner did. I mean, why were they there? He broke it down in such simple to understand terms it was evident to me that during his term this session, he's embraced being a commissioner, and at it is doing a wonderful job. He had a clear understanding of the numbers, how they relate to us as ratepayers, and what the commissioners can do to keep service affordable.

But it was when he said, "I am the only candidate that is also a ratepayer in the Highline Water District," that I was baffled and asked around. How can that be? It seems that the only requirement to running for a commissioner position is that the person lives in the district. I don't see the reasoning behind this rule, but I digress.

What is important here is how can we as ratepayers elect a person to represent us who has little understanding of what it is like to pay a water bill each month?

Clearly, Dan Johnson is the only candidate who has a vested interest in keeping the costs reasonable and the only candidate that will get my vote on Nov. 6.

Melissa Musser

Des Moines

Editor's note: Mr. Hilsen addressed the "ratepayer issue" in a letter in the Oct. 17 Times/News.