Government
Gig Harbor Council 2: Henderson, Skansi seek open seat
Political newcomers Roger Henderson and John Skansi are vying the for Gig Harbor City Council Position 2 seat left open when Bob Himes chose not to run for re-election. In the three-person August primary election, Henderson received 54 percent of the votes to 31 percent for Skansi.
Henderson is a relative newcomer to Gig Harbor, having moved here in 2018. Soon after he and his wife were settled, Henderson was appointed to the city’s Parks Commission, where, he said, he has become keenly aware of local issues, including the need for more sidewalks, bike lanes and protection of local forests.
The Roger Henderson-John Skansi race for Position 2 is among four City Council seats being contested in the Nov. 2 election. Ed Friedrich / Gig Harbor Now
Henderson is a retired engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he served on two disaster-recovery missions, including Hurricane Katrina. He is a graduate of the Gig Harbor Police Department’s Citizens Academy course.
Skansi, who has worked as a teacher and commercial fisherman, originally filed to run for mayor before withdrawing and jumping in the Council race, leaving Council member Tracie Markley without an opponent for mayor.
Henderson has raised $12,813 and spent $7,423; Skansi $15,649 and $7,019, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
On Sept. 30, Gig Harbor Now sent an identical questionnaire to each City Council candidate. We are printing their responses verbatim.
Roger Henderson
1. Should city government facilitate the building of more affordable housing? How?
Affordable housing is a complex issue and cities all over Washington are struggling with how to ensure housing is attainable, especially when it comes to attracting a workforce to their city or county. This is a regional problem and will require a regionally coordinated solution. The City of Gig Harbor must continue to coordinate with state and county agencies such as the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners (SSHAP) to tap into their expertise and access to state-wide programs that can provide our city planners with additional tools to develop locally controlled solutions. I pledge that as a member of the Gig Harbor City Council, I will support the city’s efforts to partner with state, county and other organizations to find a path forward in meeting our affordable housing issues.
Roger Henderson
2. What can the Council do to maintain the city’s small, charming personality while adhering to the Growth Management Act and other growth pressures?
Sustainable growth planning is the first place to start. The city is in the process of conducting a buildable lands study which will inform us what and where to possibly grow. We must take a holistic view of growth, determine how it impacts all areas of Gig Harbor (Downtown, Uptown and North Gig Harbor) and then develop plans to mitigate its effects. I have pledged to maintain the waterfront area’s charm and maritime history, which is why I support supporting, preserving, and enhancing our city’s working waterfront.
3. Many city employees have been characterized recently as dissatisfied and have left their jobs. can be done to reverse this trend?
The City of Gig Harbor has lost far too many hard-working city staff over the last few years. As a retired civil engineer (US Army Corps of Engineers) I spent over 30 years as a civil servant and know what it is like to work in the public sector. I will bring back the trust and respect to our city and will ensure departments are appropriately staffed and resourced for the workload required of them. Gig Harbor cannot afford to lose our city employees – the city and its residents will suffer if we do.
4. How can city government assure that infrastructure keeps up with growth?
Our city’s infrastructure (roads, sewers, water lines, etc.) is critical to the health of the city and cannot be ignored. Part of a sustainable growth model is careful consideration of how growth and infrastructure interact. We need to be mindful that when the city or a developer construct new infrastructure, the capital costs pale in comparison to the long-term maintenance costs. Those costs are borne by the city and ultimately by the residents of Gig Harbor through property or sales taxes. As a civil engineer, I will bring that expertise to the city council and will work closely with the city’s public works and planning staff to develop innovative ways to construct new infrastructure as needed, with an eye on controlling the long-term maintenance costs.
5. What would be your top priority should you be elected or re-elected to the Council?
My top priority as a newly elected councilmember will be to bring back respect to our city staff. Although the city council and Mayor positions have more public exposure, it is our city staff that ensure a well-run, efficient and vibrant city. Making the City of Gig Harbor a great place to work will help mitigate the loss of our existing employees while at the same time attracting additional highly qualified professionals and tradespeople. With the right staff, we can then begin to tackle the opportunities and challenges that we face here in the city.
John Skansi
1. Should city government facilitate the building of more affordable housing? How?
Strong and creative leadership is necessary to successfully engage the public and surmount obstacles encountered in the course of developing fair affordable housing policy. We need to see the problem and exhibit the passion and persistence needed to overcome barriers and achieve results for all the Gig Harbor Community, on these very complex issues. I am always listening to people in the Gig Harbor Community on housing and zoning issues, and all issues, and will continue to always be engaged closely with the Gig Harbor Community. This is a necessity to be a good public servant.
John Skansi
2. What can the Council do to maintain the city’s small, charming personality while adhering to the Growth Management Act and other growth pressures?
To adhere to the Growth Management Act and preserve the charm of particularly the downtown area, takes an emphasis on the concept of local control that each municipality can emphasize in their decision making. If you have growth mandate policies from the State or County level, it is our responsibility to look very closely at these requirements and weigh the benefits and the possible downside factors, through the lens of our local needs in the Gig Harbor Community. This takes listening well and always, to the folks in the Gig Harbor Community, particularly small businesses, working families, and people living on fixed incomes, on how to best balance growth with preservation in the downtown area.
3. Many city employees have been characterized recently as dissatisfied and have left their jobs. can be done to reverse this trend?
We must have better leadership, accountability and transparency throughout the City Administration and Staff and on the City Council. The work place environment tone for all City employees is set by the Mayor and his/her Administration. I look forward to reading the Employment Engagement Survey and learning more from that.
4. How can city government assure that infrastructure keeps up with growth?
By doing a better job managing development and building projects on all fronts. Infrastructure, i.e. transportation, power, water, sewer and telecom, of course are all necessary with growth and development, and can provide social and economic advantages, but only when the capital and operating costs can be financed sustainably, ideally mainly, by the revenues a project generates. Too many projects can become an unnecessary economic burden and drain on City finances, if infrastructure costs are not properly planned for and taken care of mainly by the developer, as per City development policies. The goal is to better address infrastructure needs and their contribution to Gig Harbor’s social and economic growth—and to do so in a transparent, repeatable manner.
5. What would be your top priority should you be elected or re-elected to the Council?
My top priority is to work as hard as I can and to be constantly engaged and listening to the needs of the Gig Harbor Community, in order to be the best public servant that I can be for our people and our beautiful City!