2009, as you may know, is an election year. But forget the mayoral race or the chance to choose the next King County Executive. Next month brings the opportunity to elect board members for the Capitol Hill Community Council. You can find out more about the elections and candidates on the CHCC Web site.

The community council experienced a rebirth last year following nearly four years of dormancy. That dormancy was the result of the lack of people willing to keep the organization going. When longtime council president Ann Donovan stepped down after something like four years at the helm, no one volunteered to fill her shoes. Ann had become virtually synonymous with the council, the person everyone associated with the organization, including those working at the city.

The current council — let’s call it CHCC II: The Resurrection — came about in the months following the murder of Shannon Harps on the last day of 2007. It was evident there was a need or a benefit in having a Capitol Hill community group that would serve as something of an umbrella organization for residential interests on the Hill, much like the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, itself reformed after a lengthy dormant period, is trying to do for the Hill’s business community.

In its first year, the new community council created new bylaws, addressed issues it plans to take on and generally worked to define itself and the role it intends to play. The group sponsored a Halloween Walk on Broadway, established a Discount Dollar program for local merchants, supported fundraising efforts for the Summit and John Park and is working to create a Capitol Hill Pride Festival, among other good intentions.

Why Capitol Hill needs a strong community council
Is a community council important? Sure. For one thing, light rail is more than just looming on the horizon. In case you somehow haven’t been along Broadway in the last few months, light rail construction has begun. The community council can, along with other Capitol Hill community organizations, help keep an eye on the project and be another point of contact for the agency and another voice to advocate for the neighborhood. More neighborhood advocates is a good thing

On balance — and this is my opinion — the first year has been something of a success. New people, and thus new energy, came into the organization. But for the organization to remain viable that trend needs to continue.

Hence the coming elections.

Time to step forward
As of this moment, several board positions lack nominees. And only one race is even contested, that of president, where current CHCC VP Charlette LeFevre is running against Jen Power, who many know from her active involvement in Unpaving Paradise and from the POWHAT neighborhood group.

What’s needed are people who are able and willing to sign up for the ride. It’s an often thankless task — community activism is usually a slow slog toward tangible results. But it would be a shame if any momentum gained during the last year is lost through lack of participation. That lack of participation doomed the previous version of the community council in 2005

Details: The deadline for nominations is May 26. That evening there will be a candidate presentation at the Cal Anderson Park Shelter House at 7 p.m. The elections will be held on June 25.

Any takers? Interested prospective candidates should send e-mail to [email protected]