Planting Seeds of Information: Meet Westport Council Candidate Wes Galvich

Westport voters receiving their ballots this month will see a familiar pattern: uncontested races for every city council seat. But one face will be new. Wes Galvich, co-founder of the South Beach Seed Library, is stepping into the role Melissa Huerta is leaving behind. With a background in IT, a passion for gardening, and a young daughter at home, Galvich sees Westport through multiple lenses. She believes the biggest issue facing the city isn't lack of passion, it’s lack of information flow between residents and government. The Drift caught up with Wes to discuss seed libraries, city council service, and why she thinks modernizing records might be the key to better community engagement.

What can you tell us about the Seed Library?

Well first, I want you to know, it wasn't my idea. Kathryn Myrsell who owns the Westport Aquarium called me up one day and said, 'Hey, I got this idea. I really want to do a seed library, but I need someone to help me kick this thing into motion.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, girl, I'm there.’

So, it just blossomed very naturally from there. It took us a while to get it up and going. There had been a seed library in Westport before, but unfortunately, it just never quite took flight. I'm happy to say that we've had this seed library going for a year now.

Really, there are two goals behind it. Kathryn's goals are about putting seeds and the control of seeds into the hands of the people, which is amazing. My goal is just to get people outside. Get your hands in the soil and try to grow something. Start with flowers, try some vegetables, grow the things you love, and hopefully somewhere in this we can build some resilience in the community. We can give people access to the best food on the planet, which is fresh seasonal local food.

And you also offer classes?

Right now I'm doing seed saving workshops. I bring a bunch of seeds, and I encourage people to bring their seeds. I have cool little forms you can fill out that tell me about what seeds you're bringing in, and then I do the research, print the labels, and that way everybody's got good growing instructions on the seeds. People also learn how to save and clean their own seeds, at which point they can either take them all home, donate them, or swap them.

In the winter months we also have gardening classes. Marine environments are wild! I have four microclimates in my backyard. So my classes are based on how you can be successful in this environment. We have really salty air, and our slug season never ends. We have a couple of weeks in the winter when we're going to drop below 25 degrees. So yes, this is a difficult growing environment, and I just want people to have success as a gardener.

(Check out the South Beach Seed Library on Facebook or visit the seed library locations in person at Westport Timberland Library and Shoalwater Bay Tribal Community Library.)

*The Seed Library Binder at Westport Library- can be found near the book checkout kiosk.*

How long have you lived in Westport and how did you find your way here?

My husband John got a job out here. We were living in Olympia. I had a job in healthcare, working in IT, where I could work from anywhere, essentially a remote position, and then travel a few times a month. At first, John was commuting back and forth every day, and that was a lot. It wasn’t sustainable. So we bought a home in Westport in 2018. And we made the move permanent in 2019.

Before running for this current election, you applied for the council seat Darcia Davis left open when she had to step down due to relocating to Grayland. What inspired you to do that?

I had a lot of encouragement from my husband to do it. He was like, ‘You know, I think you'd be really good at this.’ So I was like, okay, I'll try it.’ I was a little bit reluctant, but through filling out the application, I found my identity in it. I found my voice in it.

Ultimately, Frank Eshpeter got that council position, and I was not ashamed of losing to him. He’s a good guy. In fact, I see him in meetings asking if the council checked codes or looking into laws, and I’m thankful he is there. I look forward to learning from him.

In November’s election, you are running unopposed, so it’s safe to assume you will be elected. If you had to campaign for your seat, what would you want people to know?

I just don't want to let people down because, whether they wanted me or not, I am here. For me, it's about service, right? The work that needs to be done from council's position right now is not glamorous work. It’s very process and information-oriented.

What I see is a consistent pattern where people come into council meetings making comments in their three minutes that are passionate dialogues that, when you pull it apart, is someone saying, ‘I don’t understand why something was done, or I feel I have no say in whatever is happening.’

What they are all saying is that I don’t have access to the information that I need.

And on the council side, they say, 'We're flying blind; nobody interacts with us or tells us what they want.'

And both stories are true. And everybody is doing the best they absolutely can. But something is missing. And of course, that’s easy to say from the outside. I won't actually know what's going on until I'm sitting on the other side of the desk.

However, I do believe there's a bridge we need to build that provides people with access to the information they need. And if the information is already available, where do people look for it, and is it presented in a digestible and understandable way?

I also think there are some modernization of records that needs to happen. With my background in electronic records, I look forward to being useful on a project like that. It’s kind of boring stuff, but important because it allows more impactful and glamorous work to happen in the future.

I’m glad there will be a woman’s voice on council and a mother with a younger child who is thinking about the family aspect of the community.

I hope it’s encouraging for others as well and perhaps inspires them to think they could do it too. I want more people to be interested in the city council. There is low engagement with the council, and I’m not sure why. Maybe there needs to be coffee chats or more accessible hours for residents to talk with council members.

For me, this is all about representing the people. I want to make sure residents have access to the information they need. If we don’t tackle this, we will continue to see a pattern of impassioned town folk showing up too late to something that has already been voted on.

What do you think makes Westport unique when it comes to city council?

There are a lot of moving parts in this small town. We are actually a large entity because everything that affects Westport affects Grayland and the whole South Beach area. We have tourism and part-time residents, seasonal fishermen, and international workers. There’s a lot going on and things are always changing.

Aside from information flow, is there a project you hope to work on?

I know the community garden will be moving in the future. I would look forward to working on that and with the community gardeners to create a new space. And I have to add, the ladies restroom at Harriet Dorland Park is not a pleasant place to be. I want to put in some work orders for repairs.

Your council term lasts four years. What do you hope Westport looks like then?

I hope to see easier access to records and information for city workers and residents alike. I want more opportunities for residents to have access to their council members, have dialogue, and get their questions answered. There are rules to follow about how many council members can engage in what and where it can happen, but I am determined we can find a solution.

I hope to see residents have more engagement with city council. I hope more access and opportunities will result in more interest and competition for council positions. The amazing people of Westport deserve to have more choices on their ballots. I hope that others who see opportunities say, ‘Well, if she can do it, so can I.’

Wes Galvich will be sworn in this January, joining a council that she hopes will become more accessible to residents. In the meantime, you can find her working on the Seed Library, teaching classes, and helping the community help things grow.