Oak Harbor loses longtime council anchor as Jim Woessner retires

Oak Harbor City Council members on Jan. 13 honored Jim Woessner as he bowed out of elected office, marking the end of a visible chapter in local development, volunteerism and civic memory. Woessner, an Oak Harbor native who chose not to run for reelection last year and retired from the council last month, leaves behind a web of roles that helped shape downtown purchases, community fundraising and volunteer traditions.

Council members stressed the practical loss of institutional knowledge more than sentiment. Bryan Stucky called him a friend and mentor and said, “We’re truly losing somebody that cares, is dedicated, highly knowledgeable. Sometimes you’re talking about stuff and I’m trying to keep up. These planning commission shoes I’m filling are going to be pretty tough to do.” Council remarks reflected how often Woessner’s experience served as a touchstone during complex land and zoning conversations.

Woessner’s imprint on local development is concrete. A longtime real estate professional and former land developer, he often recused himself from council votes because of prior real estate transactions. He handled the city’s purchase of a former indoor shooting range and assisted Island County with a downtown property purchase, moves that carried direct implications for downtown revitalization and public safety planning.

That professional footprint sits alongside a heavy civic resume. Woessner owned and ran a Sears store in Oak Harbor, helped start a Homes for Heroes affiliate aimed at “giving back” $1 million to service members and surpassed that target, cofounded the Hydros for Heroes fundraiser, served as past president of the North Whidbey Lions Club, and remains active in the Oak Harbor Rotary Club. He also founded and provides the voice for the annual Lions Club car show, an event that has become part of the island’s summer circuit.

His roots in Oak Harbor are multigenerational. Great-grandparents arrived in 1905 and settled near the Soundview Shopper on North Whidbey; his mother directed the USO, and Woessner says he was raised by the broader community. “The community really raised us as kids,” he said, framing a civic identity that helped explain why neighbors rallied when tragedy hit his family.

After his wife died of cancer in 2010, Woessner says he spent “every cent” trying to save her and delayed his own treatment. The community paid for her funeral and helped with bills, he said: “Not only did the community step up and give her a proper funeral, they helped me with some bills.” Shortly afterward he began a series of surgeries; his cancer has since returned and is beyond treatment, yet he plans to stay active in Oak Harbor for as long as possible.

Woessner kept his farewell remarks brief and characteristically measured. “It’s been a privilege to serve the people of Oak Harbor and give a little bit back,” he said. “You know, growing up here was a lot different place than it is now and to think that I had maybe a small part in making it just a little better.”

For residents, the departure means a shift at council tables and in local volunteer calendars. Whoever fills the planning and development gaps will have to navigate land deals, community expectations and the informal networks Woessner cultivated over decades. Our two cents? Stay engaged at commission meetings, ask candidates how they’ll handle recusal and development conflicts, and keep supporting the community organizations that knit Oak Harbor together.