Three council members call it quits, leaving an experience gap, but opportunity for newcomers

Three incumbent Gig Harbor City Council members have decided to call it quits, leaving the field open for a quartet of newcomers and one veteran seeking to return.

Council members Spencer Hutchins, Ken Malich and Michael Perrow have chosen not to run for re-election in November.

“When I was first elected eight years ago, my wife and I didn’t have children,” said Perrow, who has served two terms. “Now my kids are 5 and 7, and I need to spend more time with them. The number of meetings we need to attend has grown exponentially, and it’s just got to be too much.”

Malich, 73, has spoken of his desire to retire after 16 years on the council, and Hutchins, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, has a growing real-estate business.

“The work load has gotten pretty heavy,” said Malich. Council work “has almost gotten to be a profession anymore,” he said. Malich said he and his wife, Barb, like to take long vacation trips, but “the council kind of ties you down.”

Malich said he decided to retire after talking with Robyn Denson, who is running for his seat, and deciding “she’s a pretty good match for the way I think.”

The three vacancies will take a toll on the council in terms of collective experience. Three of the four remaining council members — and the mayor — are serving their first terms. The fourth, Jim Franich, had served two years on the council previously, from 2000 to 2010.

A person familiar with the council told The Gateway that some of the departing council members have privately expressed frustration with the difficulty of getting anything done on the current council, which is divided on issues of development and use of the waterfront.

“It’s not as bad as it was in the beginning” of the current term, Malich said, when an anti-growth backlash swept in a new mayor and council majority. “I think we’ve gotten over some of the rough spots. But it was pretty bad at the start.”

Two people are running for the Position 5 seat being vacated by Malich. Robyn Denson is a former legislative policy analyst who has served four terms on the city parks commission. Michelle Matheson is a consultant for nonprofits, a former family therapist and a self-described “soccer mom.”

Running to replace Perrow in Position 6 are John Picinich, a retired math teacher and coach who served on the city council from 1992 to 1996, and Le Rodenberg, a retired business owner and president of the Gig Harbor Sportsmens’ Club.

Political newcomer Tracie Markley is running unopposed for Hutchins’ seat, Position 4. She is a former real estate agent who has served on the city parks commission.

In statements for the voter’s guide, all of the candidates have stressed the need for handling the city’s burgeoning growth.

“Growth is inevitable and I believe it’s a sign that we’re doing something right,” said Markley. “However, we need to grow in a way that is smart, healthy, well-planned, and allows change to take place in responsible, strategic ways in order to not lose the ‘small town feel’ and integrity of our city.”

Markley is a consultant and software developer for a human-resources consulting firm. She is a former real estate agent and mortgage loan officer. She attended Peninsula schools and Pierce College.

Council Position 5

Robyn Denson, who is running for Position 5, is businesswoman with a long list of community activities, including as development chairperson of Communities in Schools Peninsula and a founding board member of Harbor Wildwatch.

“I’m committed to helping retain our distinctive small-town feel, even as we evolve and grow.” her voter pamphlet statement says. Development, she said, should be “carefully planned so it fits with our character, is aesthetically pleasing, and takes into account infrastructure necessities.”

Denson said she wants to see “new economic opportunities like a marine fueling facility and docks for local fishing boats and our paddling community” on the city’s waterfront.

Michelle Matheson, seeking the same position, says Gig Harbor “is at a crossroads. We must preserve Gig Harbor’s rich fishing heritage and industry while bringing fresh voices, energy and vigor to the council.”

Matheson is a former marriage and family therapist who now works as a consultant in fundraising and development for nonprofits. The mother of two sons, she has been a board member of the Harbor Soccer Club and community liaison for the Gig Harbor Sports Complex.

She said job creation is the key to many of the city’s problems. “If we can create more good-paying jobs locally, then we will reduce the pressure of increasing traffic, as people will not have to drive as far away for work,” she said in her voter statement.

Council Position 6

As a city councilman for two terms, in 1992 and 1996, John Picinich was instrumental in obtaining the Skansie, Wilkenson and Ancich properties as city parks. He was also co-founder, with Marie Sullivan, of the Maritime Gig Festival, which he chaired for four years. A former president of the Peninsula Education Association, the teachers’ union, he taught at Goodman Middle School and Kopachuck Middle School before retiring. He is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University.

Picinich said the city “must provide safety to citizens, a integral part to our police, and open mind to our business community. Efficient goverment meets future challenges, maintains adequate, equitable utilities, streets and sidewalks without raising taxes.”

Seeking the same Position 6 seat is Le Rodenberg, a retired business owner and president of the Gig Harbor Sportsman’s Club.

“Having lived in Gig Harbor for 23 years, I have seen our town expand from a small fishing village to a growing bedroom community right before our eyes,” Rodenberg said in his candidate statement. “As a result, we are facing many challenges as we try to manage our growth responsibly.”

Rodenberg said the city must “build the infrastructure to support new growth before new projects are approved,” and “lift the cumbersome permitting process that is impacting small businesses in Gig Harbor.” He said the council needs to address the “lack of sufficient moorage and a fuel dock for both commercial and recreational boaters.”

The city council candidates will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot, along with Proposition 1, a proposed sales tax to support traffic improvements.

The League of Women Voters will sponsor a forum for council candidates at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 in the council chambers, 3510 Grandview St.