Letters to the Editor, Aug. 10

Candidate Balliett brings new ideas to table

(RE: Gateway, PSD school board candidates Q and A)

I was most impressed with Noelle Balliett’s answers. The other two candidates plowed the same old ground but did not offer any new ideas to address challenges Peninsula School District 401 faces. Balliett’s answers, rather, offered new slants that focused beyond meeting basic educational needs. We all know the developmental years of elementary, middle school and high school profoundly shape our children’s lives in ways parents, teachers, administrators and even our school board members often don’t comprehend. Noelle Balliett does!

As a doctor of psychology with years of experience working on issues with many different communities, she will be a huge help in shaping educational polices for our school district. She already understands, at a whole different and very positive level, how to address needs of students, parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders, and our governments. Balliett’s ideas will produce the kinds of cost-effective education policies that our kids need to become graduates who are physically, mentally and emotionally ready for life after school.

Should Gig Harbor continue with at-large council positions?

The town of Gig Harbor was incorporated in 1946. At that time it was decided that all council members positions would be ‘at large.’ There were 256 persons voting pro or con as whether to incorporate. However in 1950, the population of the town of Gig Harbor was 803 persons.

In 2016 the population is recorded as 9,110 persons. That is an increase of 11.345 in the population from 1950 until 2016.

The area of the town/city has also increased throughout the years by virtue of annexations.

The individuals currently running for the four open positions in 2017 all live within close proximity to the original boundaries of the town in 1946.

It would appear that there are many residents within the city limits who do not have a representative who also lives in their general area/district. In other words, those residents and their problems are not receiving adequate representation, are they? In fact, how many people can tell you exactly where the city’s boundaries are?

Although the at-large positions worked well over the years, it is my belief that the time has come for the city of Gig Harbor to change the election of council members from at large position by establishing specific areas (districts) throughout the city for those seven positions.

I would like to see the council and mayor conduct a preliminary review of this request, do a thorough canvassing of the entire city limits, and issue an appropriate report for all residents. I realize that perhaps this will not even be discussed until after the November election, however, I would like you to think about the advantages of making the change for the residents of the city of Gig Harbor.

This story was originally published August 11, 2017 at 10:26 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor, Aug. 10."