Gig Harbor council swears in new members, announces staff certifications; residents raise school and traffic concerns

Mayor Mary Barber opened the meeting and presided over a swearing-in ceremony for elected and appointed officials, including the mayor, several council members and municipal judge Sandra Allen.

During the presentations the mayor congratulated city staff on recent professional accomplishments — including Chloe Weiser passing the professional engineer exam and James Wilkinson receiving a Group 4 wastewater-operator certification — and announced confirmations of Jim Henderson, Kim Anderson and Katie Cornell to the planning commission. The mayor also reminded residents about flu-season precautions and a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community gathering on Sunday, Jan. 18.

At public comment, Jonathan Appleton, who identified himself as president of Stand Up for Peninsula Schools, urged residents to vote in favor of the district's replacement levy on Feb. 10, explained volunteer sign- and postcard-writing events and asked for donations to support outreach. "Please vote yes before February 10," Appleton said, noting the levy affects more than 8,000 students.

Longtime resident Karl Marlow told the council that recent local development has outpaced road and traffic improvements. He described long delays to reach Highway 302 and Purdy and said, "I don't see new roads... we gotta have some sort of infrastructure to handle all this traffic." Another resident, Sean O'Dell, who said he works for Washington Water Service and is retiring this month, commended council leadership and staff for their work in the community.

The council then approved an item to extend sewer service to the Trailside Apartments development (Resolution 13-49) and adjourned the meeting.