Charter review commission draws crowd of candidates
Unpaid work weighing rewrites of the Pierce County charter proved to be a big draw during the one-week candidate filing period that closed Friday afternoon.
A total of 92 people filed for 21 spots on the Pierce County Charter Review Commission, which will meet to study the 1980 home-rule charter — essentially the constitution of county government — and send proposed amendments to voters. The commission consists of three nonpartisan members from each of the county’s seven council districts.
Among the candidates are several past elected officials, including former Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg, state Rep. Grant Pelesky, county Auditor Cathy Pearsall-Stipek, and County Council members Shawn Bunney, Tim Farrell, Barbara Gelman, Stan Flemming and Jan Shabro. A couple of current officeholders, County Councilman Jim McCune and state Rep. David Sawyer, also are running.
In other offices, the number of competitive races increased with last-day filings in several cities, including Tacoma, University Place, Fife and Fircrest.
But that trend didn’t reach Sumner, Roy, Ruston, South Prairie or Wilkeson, where candidates for a total of 14 positions are unopposed. Eatonville, Bonney Lake, Buckley and Milton have only one contested race each.
In Tacoma, City Councilman Anders Ibsen got an unexpected challenge from high school teacher John Hines, who had previously filed to run for an open at-large seat. Hines enters the District 1 race with endorsements from Mayor Marilyn Strickland and every council member except Ibsen and Ryan Mello.
Hines and Ibsen face a primary contest against a third candidate, Tara Doyle-Enneking, who owns and runs a used car dealership with her husband and a business partner.
Hines’ exit leaves attorney Conor McCarthy and Suzanne Skaar, who works for a nonprofit that provides education to orphans in Tanzania, to compete for the at-large seat being vacated by Councilman David Boe.
Another open seat in District 3, which includes the Hilltop and Tacoma Mall areas, attracted a field of seven people looking to replace Lauren Walker, who is term-limited. Pierce Transit government relations manager Justin Leighton, Tacoma restaurant owner Kris Blondin, Metropolitan Development Council education adviser Keith Blocker, State Farm employee Whitney Brady, Pierce College professor Tom McCarthy, Army veteran Valentine Smith and perennial candidate and convicted felon Robert Hill filed for the post.
Meanwhile in Fircrest, the most surprising development was who didn’t file: David Viafore, the city’s mayor for all but two of the past 21 years. Former Fircrest Councilman Blake Surina will run unopposed for Viafore’s seat.
Here’s a look at some other races:
Activist Jeni Woock will challenge Gig Harbor councilman Michael Perrow. Woock spearheads the group Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor. Perrow’s fellow councilman, Ken Malich, has a challenger in Al Abbott, who owns CarrotStick Management.
In Lakewood, Councilwoman Marie Barth faces a primary election contest, having drawn two opponents, local teachers union official Ben Gonter and Michael Petan.
Meanwhile, Councilman John Palmer is running in the city’s most crowded race. Challengers Diana Martin, Keith Sherrill and Zac Green all seek to unseat the incumbent.
District 3 incumbent Tom Swanson faces familiar challenger Robin Ordonez, a former planning commission member who was defeated by Swanson in the 2011 general election. And 19-year Puyallup resident Dean Johnson is pitted against Councilman Steve Vermillion for the at-large seat.
Guy (Sam) Colorossi first served on the council in 1964 and has held various positions since, including mayor. His challengers include Nicola McDonald and Douglas Bishop, who was elected to the council in 2003. After a stint running Orting’s fire district more than a decade ago, Bishop was the subject of state audit reports in 2006 and 2007 that faulted him for poor financial management and collecting disability benefits while working and receiving full-time pay as acting chief, respectively.
Gwen Robson, executive assistant to Orting’s city administrator who initially filed to run against Colorossi, switched to the three-way race for Position 1 Friday.
Don Johnson, president of the port commission and the former vice-president and general manager of the former Simpson Tacoma Kraft mill, faces Bruce Cook of Lakebay. Cook did not return a call for comment after his filing Friday.
Clare Petrich, a small-business woman who has been a port commissioner for 20 years, is opposed by Dick Walters, a former wood products executive and retired Navy captain from University Place. Also running for the position is Patrick A. Gallagher, who also could not be reached Friday.
In Tacoma, incumbent Catherine Ushka faces three challengers for Position 2. Will Jenkins is a military retiree who served in the Marine Corps and Army and now represents Vibrant Schools on a school district equity and academic excellence committee. Robert Bearden, retired from the Coast Guard and now a business owner and consultant, is married to a Tacoma paraeducator. Antonio Wyatt also filed for Position 2 but couldn’t be reached Friday.
Also in Tacoma, three candidates are seeking the Position 4 open seat currently held by Kurt Miller, who is not seeking re-election. Andrea Cobb is a project manager for the Tacoma Housing Authority and formerly a policy analyst for the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Alisa Regala O’Hanlon works for the city of Tacoma, focusing on federal and tribal government relations. David Carnahan, a National Guard member, owns a small media business and has volunteered at Lincoln High School and junior ROTC events.
In the Peninsula School District, incumbent Matthew Wilkinson, a computer support specialist for the Navy, faces two challengers to represent District 1. Marcia Harris and Audra Garcia also filed for the position.
Three candidates are seeking the Peninsula’s open seat in District 4. Harlan Gallinger is not seeking re-election.
Leslie Harbaugh co-chaired the district’s 2014 bond-levy campaign and is a 13-year volunteer in the school district. She is up against Garth Jackson and Zachary Smith, who couldn’t be reached.
In Steilacoom, incumbent Yoshie Wong will face former school board member John Anderson, a retired Boeing engineer, and Steve Schenk, a PTA board member at Pioneer Middle School and member of the Steilacoom Historic Education Foundation.
Three candidates hope to represent District 2 in the Orting School District. Jim Winkle, chief financial officer of Harbor Wholesale Foods, is the parent of two sons in Orting schools and a youth sports coach. Candidates Pam VanGilder and Stanley Holland also filed for the position.
Some Pierce County elections draw a crowd, others uncontested
(I) denotes incumbent
Legislative
District No. 30
State Representative Pos. 2 Carol Gregory, Democrat (I); Teri Hickel, Republican
County Charter Review Commission
District 1, Position 1 Charla Neuman, Jan Shabro, Lynda Hunt
District 1, Position 2 Caleb Heimlich, Patrick K. McElligott, Sharon Hanek
District 1, Position 3 Joshua Penner, Shawn Bunney, Nnenna C. Hill
District 2, Position 1 Grant Owen Pelesky, Laura M. Groves
District 2, Position 2 Michele Smith, Carolyn Edmonds, Sandra (Sandy) Paul-Lyle
District 2, Position 3 Therese Ngo Pasquier, David Perry
District 3, Position 1 Marianne Lincoln, Amy Cruver
District 3, Position 2 Jason Bergstrom, Bruce L. Lachney, Richard D. Thurston, Jim McCune
District 3, Position 3 John F. Seidl, Patrick W. Durr, Kerry Hooks, Greg Hartman
District 4, Position 1 John W. Ladenburg, Elizabeth (Liz) Burris, Catharine (Cat) Jeter, Robert Hill
District 4, Position 2 Timothy M. Farrell, Jeff Anderson, Alice McDaniel, Jamika Scott, Anna Bybee Anderson, Hugh Winskill
District 4, Position 3 Jack Curtis, John Orlando, Clare Bungay, Jamie Nixon, Greg Cook, Matt Larson, Max Hyland, Cathy Pearsall-Stipek, Gerald (Jerry) Jackson
District 5, Position 1 Eric Herde, April Sanders, Steven T. Cook, John M. Coyne
District 5, Position 2 Carolyn M. Merrival, Terry Harder, Lucas Nolta
District 5, Position 3 Brandon D. Jones, Robin Morgan, Giovanni Vendetti, Kenneth J. Blair, Justin Van Dyk, Janis Clark
District 6, Position 1 Paul Wagemann, Tom Bradbury, David Sawyer, Michael Grayum
District 6, Position 2 Don Anderson, Barbara Gelman, John M. Anderson
District 6, Position 3 Eric F. Corp, Linda Farmer, Sam Ross, David Swindale, April Sims
District 7, Position 1 R. Randall (Randy) Harrison, Steve Victor, Randy Boss, Brian O’Neill, Richard Samuelson, Richard H. Wooster, Martha Lantz, Will Baker
District 7, Position 2 David Olson, Andy Leneweaver, Justin Camarata, Brenda Wiest, Michael Jankanish, Ron Lopp, Hans Kueck, Martin (Marty) McClendon
District 7, Position 3 Todd Iverson, Rodger Deskins, Katherine (Katie) Baird, Stan Flemming, Beckie Krantz, Bruce Cook
Pierce Superior Court
Judge Position 11 G. Helen Whitener (I)
Judge Position 15 Gretchen Leanderson (I)
Port of Tacoma
Commissioner Pos. 3 Don Johnson (I), Bruce Cook
Commissioner Pos. 5 Dick Walters, Clare Petrich (I), Patrick A. Gallagher
City of Auburn
Council Pos. 1 Largo Wales (I)
Council Pos. 3 Bill Peloza (I)
Council Pos. 5 John Hayes Holman (I)
Council Pos. 7 Robert (Bob) Baggett
City of Bonney Lake
Council Pos. 2 Justin Evans, David Baus
Council Pos. 4 James Rackley (I)
Council Pos. 5 Tom Watson (I)
Council Pos. 7 Katrina Minton-Davis (I)
City of Buckley
Council Pos. 4 Beau Burkett, Chuck Helmer
Council Pos. 5 John W. Leggett (I)
Council Pos. 6 Milt Tremblay (I)
Council Pos. 7 Jenney Kyllonen
Town of Carbonado
Council Pos. 1 Bruce Cristel (I), Mark Buonocore
Council Pos. 3 Jay Argo (I), Sean Chabot
Council Pos. 4 Roberta (Doodie) Kyllonen, Emily Jones, Tim Johnson
Council Pos. 5 Amos Green, Buck McBride, Dale Lyons
Mayor Richie Morgan, Wally Snover
City of DuPont
Council Pos. 4 Penny Coffey (I), Laurie Fait
Council Pos. 5 Matt Helder
Council Pos. 6 Eric F. Corp, Kate Lynch
Mayor Mike Courts
Town of Eatonville
Council Pos. 3 Robert G. Thomas, Nick Junka
Council Pos. 4 Abby Gribi (I)
Council Pos. 5 James R. Schrimpsher (I)
Treasurer Lori K. Smith (I)
City of Edgewood
Council Pos. 1 Mark L. Creley, Ted Christie, Sean Bailey
Council Pos. 2 Luke Meyers (I), Enid T. Duncan, Brian Burfeind, Carolyn Trumbull
Council Pos. 7 Nathaniel Lowry, Jamie Sargent, Steve Richfield
City of Fife
Council Pos. 1 Bryan Yambe (I), David Zarate
Council Pos. 2 Tim Curtis (I)
Council Pos. 3 Barry D. Johnson (I), Dierdre (Dee-Dee) Gethers
Council Pos. 4 Pat Hulcey (I)
Council Pos. 5 Kim Roscoe
City of Fircrest
Council Pos. 3 David Goodsell (I), Brett L. Wittner
Council Pos. 4 Blake J. Surina
Council Pos. 5 Hunter T. George (I), Heather A. Heiderich
City of Gig Harbor
Council Pos. 4 Rahna Lovrovich (I)
Council Pos. 5 Ken Malich (I), Al Abbott
Council Pos. 6 Michael Perrow (I), Jeni Woock
City of Lakewood
Council Pos. 4 Don Anderson (I)
Council Pos. 6 Marie Barth (I), Michael J. Petan, Ben Gonter
Council Pos. 7 Paul Bocchi (I)
City of Milton
Council Pos. 2 Susan J.F. Johnson (I)
Council Pos. 4 Tony Bennest (I)
Council Pos. 6 Mary Tompkins, Jim Manley (I)
Council Pos. 7 Robert (Bob) Whalen (I)
City of Orting
Council Pos. 1 Tod Gunther (I), Jacob Weigley, Gwen Robson
Council Pos. 4 Dave Harman (I), Phil Allen
Council Pos. 5 Guy S. (Sam) Colorossi (I), Douglas Bishop, Nicola McDonald
Council Pos. 6 Joshua Penner (I), Arlene Dannat
City of Pacific
Council Pos. 1 Katie Garberding (I)
Council Pos. 3 Clinton Steiger (I)
Council Pos. 6 Don Thomson, David B. Storaasli
Mayor Gary Nitschke, Leanne Guier (I)
City of Puyallup
Council at Large Dean Johnson, Steven Vermillion (I)
Council Dist. 1 Pos. 1 Pat McGregor, Robin Farris
Council Dist. 2 Pos. 1 John Palmer (I), Diana C. Martin, Keith W. Sherrill, Zac Green
Council Dist. 3 Pos. 1 Robin Ordonez, Thomas Jay (Tom) Swanson (I)
City of Roy
Council Pos. 1 Jessie Ashman (I)
Council Pos. 2 Yvonne Starks (I)
Council Pos. 4 Michelle Walker (I)
City of Ruston
Council Pos. 3 James Hedrick (I)
Council Pos. 5 Lynn Syler (I)
Town of South Prairie
Council Pos. 1 Stu Terry (I)
Council Pos. 3 Jan Twardoski (I)
Council Pos. 4 Barbara Wigton (I)
Council Pos. 5 Vicky Watkins (I)
Town of Steilacoom
Council Pos. 4 Nancy E. Henderson (I)
Council Pos. 5 Fred Crumley, Bruce Judson (I)
City of Sumner
Council Pos. 4 Patrick Reed
Council Pos. 5 Cindi Hochstatter (I)
Council Pos. 6 Curt Brown (I)
Council Pos. 7 Mike LeMaster (I)
City of Tacoma
Civil Service Pos. 3 Amy Heller (I)
Council at Large Pos. 7 Conor McCarthy, Suzanne Skaar
Council at Large Pos. 8 Ryan Mello (I)
Council Dist. 1 Anders Ibsen (I), Tara Doyle-Enneking, John Hines
Council Dist. 3 Justin Leighton, Kris Blondin, Keith Blocker, Whitney Brady, Tom McCarthy, Valentine Smith, Robert Hill
City of University Place
Council Pos. 2 Kent D. Keel (I)
Council Pos. 6 Chris Nye (I), Frank Boykin
Council Pos. 7 Caroline Belleci (I)
Town of Wilkeson
Council Pos. 5 Terry Endsley (I)
Auburn School District No. 408
Director Dist. 1 Ray Vefik (I)
Director Dist. 2 Robyn Mulenga
Director Dist. 4 Anne Baunach (I)
Director Dist. 5 Ryan Van Quill
Bethel School District No. 403
Director Dist. 2 John L. Manning (I)
Director Dist. 4 Amy Pivetta Hoffman (I), Rick Payne
Director Dist. 5 Brenda Rogers (I)
Carbonado Historical School Dist. No. 19
Director Pos. 3 Thomas Morgan (I), Rick Haulet
Director Pos. 4 Adam Dixon (I)
Director Pos. 5 Sue McBride (I)
Clover Park School District No. 400
Director Dist. 1 Becki Kellcy
Director Dist. 2 Carole K. Jacobs (I)
Director Dist. 5 Paul Wagemann (I)
Dieringer School District No. 343
Director Dist. 2 Monte St. Johns (I)
Director Dist. 5 Hilary McCabe (I)
Eatonville School District No. 404
Director at Large Pos. 4 Jeff Lucas (I)
Director Dist. 1 Paulette Gilliardi (I)
Director Dist. 3 Roger Andrascik (I)
Fife School District No. 417
Director Dist. 1 Doug Fagundes (I)
Director Dist. 2 Robert Scheidt (I), Drew Ritzen
Franklin Pierce School District No. 402
Director Dist. 1 Doug Carlson (I), Melanie Morgan
Director Dist. 3 Mark Baumgarten (I)
Director Dist. 4 Mary L. Sherman (I)
Orting School District No. 344
Director Dist. 2 Pam VanGilder, Jim Winkle, Stanley Holland
Director Dist. 3 Bonnie Pedersen Walkup, Iris Lilley (I)
Director Dist. 4 Kay Lynn Smartt
Director Dist. 5 Sandra L. Shirley (I)
Peninsula School District No. 401
Director Dist. 1 Marcia E. Harris, Matthew Wilkinson (I), Audra Garcia
Director Dist. 2 Deborah Krishnadasan
Director Dist. 3 Rand Wilhelmsen (I), Geralyn (Lyn) McClendon
Director Dist. 4 Leslie Harbaugh, Garth Jackson, Zachary Smith
Puyallup School District No. 3
Director Pos. 2 Dane Looker (I), Derek Maynes
Director Pos. 3 Pat Jenkins (I), Michael Keaton
Director Pos. 5 Chris Ihrig (I), Dallas Marcella
Steilacoom Historical School Dist. No. 1
Director Pos. 4 Steve Schenk, John M. Anderson, Yoshie Wong (I)
Director Pos. 5 Samuel T. Scott (I)
Sumner School District No. 320
Director Dist. 2 Paul S. Williams
Director Dist. 3 Richard Hendricks (I)
Director Dist. 4 Casey Chamberlain (I)
Tacoma School District No. 10
Director Pos. 2 Catherine Ushka, (I) Antonio Wyatt, Robert (Bob) Bearden, Will Jenkins Sr.
Director Pos. 4 Andrea Cobb, Alisa Regala O’Hanlon, David Carnahan
University Place School District No. 83
Director Pos. 1 Ethelda Burke (I)
Director Pos. 3 T’wina Franklin
Director Pos. 4 Mary Lu Dickinson (I), Edward (Ed) D. Arrington
Director Pos. 5 Rick Maloney (I), Annie Fitzsimmons
White River School District No. 416
Director Dist. 2 Tawny Sanabria (I), Stacy Belcoe-Mahnke
Director Dist. 5 Jill Howie, Jean Lacy (I)
Yelm Community Schools District No. 2
School Board Director, District No. 2 Donna R. Edwards (I)
School Board Director, District No. 3 Denise Hendrickson (I)
School Board Director, District No. 5 Bill Hauss (I)
East Pierce Fire and Rescue
Commissioner Pos. 2 Kirby T. Pollard, Jon Napier
Commissioner Pos. 3 Mike Cathey (I)
Commissioner Pos. 5 Ronald Scholz (I), Pat McElligott
Commissioner Pos. 6 Victor Proulx (I)
Commissioner Pos. 7 Dale T. Mitchell (I)
Fire Protection District No. 3 (University Place)
Commissioner Pos. 2 John J. Clancy (I)
Commissioner Pos. 4 Grant T. Erb (I), Thomas Huffar
Fire Protection District No. 5 (Gig Harbor)
Commissioner Pos. 1 Kevin L. Entze (I), William (Bill) Billings
Commissioner Pos. 5 Bryce Nelson (I)
Fire Protection District No. 6 (Central Pierce)
Commissioner Pos. 2 Harper Peterson, Bill Eckroth (I), David G. Panelo
Fire Protection District No. 10 (Fife)
Commissioner Pos. 1 Greg Wambold (I)
Fire Protection District No. 13 (Browns Point/Dash Point)
Commissioner Pos. 2 Donald Ballantyne, Gerald (Jerry) Churchill
Commissioner Pos. 3 Dave Noll, Chris Johnson
Fire Protection District No. 14 (Riverside)
Commissioner Pos. 1 Peter Allison (I)
Fire Protection District No. 16 (Key Peninsula)
Commissioner Pos. 2 Stanley (Stan) Moffett
Commissioner Pos. 4 Sheila Hunt Niven (I)
Fire Protection District No. 17 (South Prairie)
Commissioner Pos. 2 Kathy Kadow
Fire Protection District No. 18 (Orting)
Commissioner Pos. 2 Shawn Mahoney (I)
Commissioner Pos. 4 Rich Meek
Fire Protection District No. 21 (Graham)
Commissioner Pos. 3 Robert E. Skaggs (I), Adam Rosenlund, John F. Seidl
Fire Protection District No. 23 (Ashford)
Commissioner Pos. 1 William (Bill) Tylor
Fire Protection District No. 26 (Greenwater)
Commissioner Pos. 1 James Harte (I)
Commissioner Pos. 2 N. Peter Murray (I)
Fire Protection District No. 27 (Anderson Island)
Commissioner Pos. 3 Colleen Adler (I)
Key Peninsula Metropolitan Park Dist
Commissioner Pos. 2 Shawn Jensen
Commissioner Pos. 4 Edward Robison (I)
Metropolitan Park District Of Tacoma
Commissioner Pos. 3 Larry Dahl (I), Jessie K. Baines Jr.
Peninsula Metropolitan Park District
Commissioner Pos. 2 Judy A. Pagni, Maryellen (Missy) Hill
Commissioner Pos. 3 Randy Boss, Steve Nixon
This story was originally published May 15, 2015 at 8:57 PM with the headline "Charter review commission draws crowd of candidates."