James O. Robarts for Bill Watson

Dear Editor,

I am endorsing Bill Watson for San Juan County Council.

I have worked closely with Bill since 2000 when he was hired as the Vice President of Engineering for Seattle tech startup Tangis. I was quickly impressed with his deliberate and pragmatic problem-solving. As overall manager of our product development staff he also showed great skill working with different types of personalities, both one-on-one and in group meetings where he fostered informed discussions and decisions.

Success as a serial entrepreneur rests on my ability to recognize talented dependable individuals — after Tangis I recruited Bill for three additional ventures (Glofun in 2005, WordRake in 2010, E. B. & Company in 2015). In each case it was not what Bill knew, but how when presented with a new problem he (apparently) enjoys studying it until a practical plan for solving it can be proposed. Even better, because plans go awry, Bill employs an exceptional tenacity to keep a project moving forward even when the plan changes.

But more important to me than any of the above, I endorse Bill Watson because of my confidence in his bedrock honesty: I have (and would again) trust him with the keys, the passwords, and full access to the shared funds. I figure knowing that a particular candidate for public office is trustworthy as well as competent could help you consider how to vote, which is why I wrote this.

I am not implying the incumbent is untrustworthy, I do not know Mr. Jarman.

Sincerely,
James O. Robarts
Property owner on Waldron Island since 2001, soon full-time resident