My name is Scott Hilsen and I am running for Highline Water Commissioner.

At the recent Normandy Park Cove Candidate Forum, my opponent mentioned that he was the only ratepayer running for office. Well, that is true, but not the whole truth.

The Hilsen family has lived on our Normandy Park property since my father made the purchase in 1950, and the well on this property has been in existence since the early 1900s. Our family owns the water rights and, yes, we use well water at our current home.

My wife (April) and I do not own the house in which we live. We sold our home in West Seattle to move next door to care for my father who needed close family support. By the time my father passed away, my mother needed the same care.

For years, April and I have had the dream of owning our own home in Normandy Park. We acquired property in Normandy Park eight years ago and only now are we in a position to build on our property. April and I are actively working with an architect to design our new home, which, when complete, will connect to the Highline Water District.

(The Highline Water District's local facility charge of almost $5,000 has been paid for our property, even though there is no house built with which to connect water service.)

In Normandy Park, about 42 percent of the homeowners are on septic systems (i.e., not connected to Southwest Suburban Sewer District), but all of them have the same voting rights and all of them can run for Southwest Suburban Sewer Commissioner.

Although it is not common to use well water, there are a significant number that do. The basic argument being made is that there are two classes of Highline Water District voters, those that can run for office and those that can't.

The problem is, that is both illegal and a poor precedent. How would you like to be told you can vote, but you cannot run for office? This position ignores that fact that people not connected are still affected by the policies of the Highline Water District and that many of us will be connected in the near future.

The same is true of school districts that are funded by taxes from homeowners. Renters in the school district have the right to vote for members of the school board, because it affects their community as a whole.

I look forward to being connected to the Highline Water District in the near future.

Scott Hilsen

Normandy Park

Editor's note: Mr. Hilsen currently is an elected commissioner of the Southwest Suburban Sewer District.