As a relatively new resident to Kent I have been intrigued by the seemingly one-sided negative coverage of the City Council race between Bailey Stober and Ken Sharp by the Kent Reporter.
This curiosity was the reason I attended the Sept. 9 candidate debate.
The contrast between the candidates was striking. Stober was very polished for such a young age. He came across as a slick politician. Sharp, older and less polished, was very personable and real.
After the debate I was wondering about all of the qualifications that Stober claimed on his resume. His LinkedIn profile mentioned he was a loss prevention manager for Sears Holdings Corporation from May 2007 to January 2009. He “oversaw the loss prevention teams at two retail stores, worked with store directors to ensure budgets were being met, losses stayed low and found innovative ways to increase revenue.” Given his age and timeline he would have been hired for this position when he was 16 years old with a high school education.
In his current position as a secretary for the small commission on African American Affairs, he claims to “provide high-level executive support to a member of the governor’s cabinet. Work with the governor, Legislative and other state agencies to ensure internal and external diversity policy is culturally competent. Advise the director, governor and Legislature on pending bills and legislation …” He was hired for this position at the age of 21.
A previous letter to the Kent Reporter indicated that his hiring as a secretary was in response to his working on several campaigns.
Finally at the debate, I was told of the rumor that Stober, until recently, did not live in Kent. I contacted the King County Elections Office in Renton and was told that Stober changed his address from Renton to Kent in February 2013.
In conclusion, both candidates have issues dogging them. Sharp’s are well publicized by the Kent Reporter. For some reason the Kent Reporter, is unwilling to investigate Stober.
– Jim Tomlinson
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