The Tolo Road resident may run to replace Councilman Jim Llewellyn

Tolo Road resident and retired U.S. Navy officer Robert Dashiell is considering a run for Councilman Jim Llewellyn’s soon-to-be vacated South Ward seat.

“The key word here is ‘considering,’ he said on Thursday. “If another qualified candidate doesn’t step up, I would pretty seriously consider stepping in.”

So far, no other residents have publicly announced their intention to run Llewellyn’s seat.

Dashiell spends much of his time as a volunteer tour guide at the IslandWood learning center and as a camera operator for Bainbridge Island Television.

Dashiell has recorded many City Council meetings, giving him a keen interest and insight into city government, he said.

He is also motivated to run by the lack of interest on Bainbridge for holding public office.

“There’s a dearth of interest and that’s really disturbing,” he said.

The 61-year-old said he’d prefer to see someone younger than himself run for the South Ward seat.

“I hope another candidate younger than me, and who has the background, steps forth and relieves me of the decision to run,” he said.

Dashiell, who holds three business degrees, also wonders if a councilor’s $600 per month pay is enough for public duties he predicts will consume a great deal of his time.

“I’d be putting in four years of my life and the pay’s not all that good,” he said. “To do this right, it’s pretty darn close to a full-time job.”