PAJARO—A longtime Royal Oaks resident, Graniterock employee and community organizer on Wednesday announced his run for the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.
Steve Snodgrass, 66, has served as Graniterock’s Chief Financial Officer for 35 years, and plans to retire early next year. That experience, he says, is part of what makes him stand out from the pack of candidates vying to take the District 2 seat when current Supervisor John Phillips retires next year.
“I have the credentials to do the job,” he said. “I understand the importance of accountability and transparency. The experience that I have, it seems like a waste not to put it back into the community.”
North Monterey County farmer and businessman Glenn Church announced his candidacy earlier this year, and so, too, has Grant Leonard, a housing analyst for the city of Monterey, who serves as chair of the Castroville Land Use Advisory Committee and the North Monterey County Recreation and Park District Board of the Directors.
An appointed member of Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Services District, Snodgrass was part of the effort to rebuild Pajaro Park in 2014, which he said took cooperation from government officials, local businesses and citizens.
“This park is a tribute to how government, nonprofits and businesses work together,” he told a crowd of more than 50 people that gathered in the park Wednesday to show their support. “And we all work together to get this done.”
Former Monterey County Supervisor Lou Calcagno attended the announcement ceremony. He touted Snodgrass’ experience at Graniterock.
“Steve has got finance on his mind,” Calcagno said during a brief speech before Snodgrass spoke. “Government is all about spending money, but you have to bring the money in before you spend it.”
Snodgrass says that north Monterey County is a unique area, which is dominated by rural and agricultural areas and facing water shortages, possible water rationing and seawater intrusion.
“Water quality is a big issue here in North County,” he said. “It’s an issue that affects every aspect of civic life.”
If elected, he says he plans to address affordable housing needs, and that he would work to preserve agricultural resources and open space.
“All of these issues are related, and we have to address them as a whole, not piecemeal,” he says.
He also says that the poor quality of roads in Monterey County comes in part due to poor financial management.
“Our roads should be the best in the world, and quite frankly California ranks somewhere in the bottom five in the country,” he said.
Snodgrass has served on the Cabrillo College Foundation board and on the Monterey County Local Agency Formation Commission, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
