The News Tribune endorsements: Our picks for Lakewood City Council

Replacing longtime Lakewood City Council member Don Anderson won’t be easy. Anderson has served on the council since 2008, including nine years as the city’s council-appointed mayor. Anderson has also represented Lakewood as a member of the Executive Board of the Puget Sound Regional Council.

The race for Lakewood City Council Pos. 4, which will be on this year’s primary ballot, features three candidates with varied backgrounds and experiences. Paul Wagemann is a longtime member of the Clover Park School Board. Charles Ames, a self-described community activist, retired from the military and has served in various capacities over the years, including as a member of the Lakewood Public Safety Advisory Committee and as the president of the Springbrook-Pacific Neighborhood Association. Ryan Pearson is a Pierce County engineer and first-time candidate who has served as vice-chair of the Lakewood Planning Commission.

This year, Pearson, 33, earns our strong endorsement, standing out for his thoughtfulness, even temperament and leadership qualities. If elected, Pearson will face the same substantial learning curve that any newly elected official contends with, but we have confidence he’s the candidate best suited for the job.

Like almost every hopeful we interviewed this election cycle, Pearson said addressing public safety, homelessness and drug addiction are top priorities. There’s little doubt the years ahead will be challenging in these regards. During The News Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsement interview, Pearson’s call for a “collaborative approach” displayed the best grasp of the issues Lakewood faces. Pearson believes public drug use and public camping should be forbidden and actively discouraged through the enforcement of local laws and ordinances, but he also understands that incarceration and the criminal justice systems aren’t the answer to addressing root causes.

Pearson told The News Tribune Editorial Board that he’s “not a firebrand or politically divisive candidate,” describing himself as a fiscally conservative moderate.

In this race, in particular, qualities like that go a long way.

Wagemann, 75, is unfit for office. He’s twice been censured during his time on the Clover Park School Board. Wagemann’s most recent censure, in June 2022, included allegations of racism, bullying, harassment and intimidation. It’s a troubling track record, and one that Wagemann, when given the opportunity, provided no cogent defense for. The primary should be where Wagemann’s candidacy ends.

Ames, 62, says he’s running to represent Lakewood residents, like himself, who don’t feel like the City Council is listening. He’s an energetic candidate with a passion for his community, but his enthusiasm and free time as a retiree can’t make up for his limited experience and perspective.

The race for Lakewood City Council Pos. 6 is a two-person contest — pitting Trestin Lauricella, who was appointed to the Council earlier this year to fill out the remainder of former council member Linda Farmer’s term after she was elected Pierce County Auditor, and Jimmy Davidson, a local general contractor and father of three who has lived in Lakewood for a decade and says he’s running because he has “a vested interest in the well-being of our community” and wants to give back.

The advantage of incumbency is something The News Tribune Editorial Board wrestles with during the endorsement process every year. The knowledge and experience gained by serving in elected office give most a leg up when engaging in civic discussions or fielding complicated policy questions.

In this race, there’s no doubt Lauricella benefits from such an advantage, even if his tenure as a City Council appointee only dates back to March. Still, he earns our endorsement. We were impressed by Davidson’s heart and his drive to serve, but Lauricella is the more well-rounded candidate. He’s also the person positioned to help Lakewood tackle the difficult decisions ahead.

Lauricella, 41, is a lifelong Lakewood resident who currently works at Boeing. He graduated from Clover Park High School before earning an associate’s degree at Pierce College, going on to earn a bachelor’s from St. Martin’s in Lacey and a master’s in business administration from Seattle University. He has long ties to the community and the surrounding area, and he’s already displayed an eagerness and ability to contribute.

While Lauricella mentioned housing affordability, creating family-wage jobs and addressing issues related to crime and homelessness as top priorities, as a local, he also noted the important relationship Lakewood has with Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

If elected to a full term this fall, it’s one Lauricella says he’ll work to build on — particularly as it relates to a constant frustration in Lakewood: traffic on Interstate 5 near the base.

“Recognizing the retirees and veterans that we have in our community, as they relate to activity on JBLM is critical,” Lauricella told The News Tribune Editorial Board. “A large portion of our residents either work on or are connected to activities on base, so partnering with leadership of JBLM … (and) working to make sure that (I-5) is developed purposefully, understanding traffic flow patterns and the anticipated growth … is key.”

Lauricella should be elected to a full term of his own in November.

Incumbent Paul Bocchi is running unopposed for Lakewood City Council Pos. 7.