My name is Lyle Bowes, a longtime business owner and 50-plus year resident of Brookings, and I’m writing to express my strong support for Al Austreim for City Council.

After many years of community and business involvement, I have found that many are discontent with local government, but don’t vote. Brookings has a significantly low voter turnout. We must encourage people in Brookings to engage with our local government, but the City of Brookings also has the duty of interacting with the people. Did you know out of 220 action items in 2023 that every single one passed with no formal amendments and all but 2 items were unanimous? If every action item is getting rubber-stamped with little to no community engagement.

I believe we have an opportunity to change this dynamic between the people in town and the City of Brookings. Al Austreim is committed to engaging with all voices in Brookings. He understands the necessary collaborations between the public and private sectors to effectively address the needs of our city. As a business owner, Al has a proven track record of bringing stakeholders together to find innovative solutions to complex issues, and I am confident that he will continue to do so as a member of the City Council.

We’ve heard about issues that impact our day-to-day lives such as affordable housing for years. Yet, the city votes ordinance changes with little or no public input, and in effect increases housing prices. Without a thorough conversation, there is no exchange of concerns and ideas about each proposal which has led to unintended consequences such as increased housing prices. That’s why we must elect someone who will engage every voice in Brookings, understand the role of the City Council, and recognize the influence the city code has on every aspect of our town. Vote for Al Austreim on April 9 or early vote at the Brookings City/County building now until April 8 between 8:00 am-5:00 pm.