By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Facebook was Eatonville mayor-elect Mike Schaub's chief method of reaching voters during the recently completed general election. In a short question-and-answer session with Schaub as his victory became apparent, he said he relied heavily on the online social networking site. Schaub, who defeated Town Councilman Gordon Bowman, also said he didn't fully believe he'd won until more than a week after voting closed Nov. 6. The result became more clear last week. As of Thursday, with all but 29 of the votes counted, Schaub had a 59-vote lead. Here's Q-and-A Schaub did with The Dispatch last Wednesday:
Are you at or near a point where you'll declare victory?
Schaub: As of today I feel confident about the victory. Even though the percentage hadn't changed through last week, I was cautious to declare victory until Friday night (Nov. 15).-áDefinitely feeling good after today's numbers. -á This was your first contested campaign. What did you learn along the way, including local politics and voters' concerns? -á Schaub: Politics is an interesting beast, especially in a small community. It's important to remember not everyone thinks the way you do on issues or the position. I used Facebook extensively to communicate with people throughout the campaign, with less getting out and ringing doorbells. After the results of the race, I can see the importance of the face-to-face interaction to express your ideas for the town and the face-name recognition when it comes to voting.-á I think that open communication is key. Plenty of people within the community voiced to me their issues and concerns during the campaign. With my desire for transparency, I'm hopeful that people will feel comfortable enough to express their thoughts, ideas and concerns to me in the future. -á What are some of the things you'll do between now and taking office to get ready for your new duties? -á Schaub: I have my list of items I want to start working on once I'm in office. I plan on working with the current mayor on a plan so we have a smooth transition.-áIf any staff wishes to meet with me prior to taking office, I'm happy to meet and talk with them.-á I feel I already have a jump on the position, having six years under my belt as treasurer and knowing the financial side and over 19 years in government which gives me an understanding of the operations side.-áI believe we are at a new starting point for government and at a time to reinvent what services we provide and how we provide them. I look forward to hitting the ground running and making a difference in our community.
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