Community Government

Emily Stone sworn in as newest member of Gig Harbor City Council

Emily Stone was sworn in as the newest city council member at Monday’s meeting, filling the seat vacated by Brenda Lykins’ resignation. Lykins resigned from the council on Jan. 17 because she had relocated away from Gig Harbor.

The council considered three candidates to replace Lykins: Steven McDuffy, Julie Martin and Stone. Along with Reid Eckberg, they were finalists in December to replace Mary Barber, who had been appointed mayor. The council picked Ekberg.

Instead of calling for new applications to replace Lykins, the council chose to re-consider the remaining three candidates.

At Monday’s meeting, each gave a brief statement about their qualifications and desire to join the council.

Stone noted that her grandparents moved to Gig Harbor in the 1970s, and her father moved here when she was 12 years old. Her sister and family also live in the harbor.

Background

Stone, 31, is a senior policy advisor at the state Department of Commerce, serving as a liaison between the department, the Legislature and the governor’s office. As such, she “knows how to work with the government, social services organizations and other groups,” she said. She routinely deals with such issues as community services, growth management planning, public safety and small businesses.

Stone graduated from Rogers High School in Puyallup, where her mother lived then. In high school she “did a lot of musical stuff,” including playing the trumpet and tuba and singing in the school chorus.

She graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, then earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington. She was a social worker for many years, working with people experiencing gender-based violence, poverty, homelessness and behavioral health issues. She is also a volunteer board member at the Sexual Violence Law Center.

Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber, left, administers the oath of office to new Councilmember Emily Stone on Monday, Jan. 27, at the Civic Center. Photo by Charlee Glock-Jackson

Important local issues

“Gig Harbor is such a beautiful, unique place, and there are so many people who love it here and want to preserve the charm and all the special things,” she said. “We need to find ways to grow and still preserve the unique, historic character.”

Housing is one of the biggest challenges the city faces. Meeting the needs of the current residents for affordable housing is at the top of her list, including housing options for the large numbers of retired people on fixed incomes.

Stone said she wants the city to consider such things as accessibility, diversifying the housing supply with things like Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and places with “lots of space for kids to run and play.”

She also cares about economic development and tourism. She wants Gig Harbor to be aware of its potential as a draw for tourists during the men’s World Cup soccer tournament that will be in Seattle in 2026. Tacoma is already planning tie-in activities and Gig Harbor should find ways to be a “satellite city” and bring visitors across the bridge, Stone said in a phone interview.

Stone has made a career of public service and tries to be mindful of the long-range impacts of policy decisions.

“I’ll never claim to be an expert on anything,” she said. “But I always want to try to uplift the voices of the people who are most impacted by policy decisions.”

Family first

In her spare time, Stone “loves being outdoors doing just about anything,” she said. She likes kayaking and hiking and has visited at least 25 national parks. Among her national parks favorite are Glacier in Montana and North Cascades, she said.

Family activities are especially important, she added.

“Anyone who knows me knows that my family is the most important thing to me.” Her father and stepmother live in the harbor, as do her sister and brother-in-law and their two kids. The entire family makes it a priority to get together for a weekly dinner, rotating who hosts it.

When it’s Stone’s turn to play hostess, everyone crowds around the tiny dining room table in her two-bedroom apartment. Her young niece often laughs “when we’re all trying to fit around my little table,” Stone said.

That young niece has already created a new game, now that “Aunt Em” is a city council member.

“Right after the council meeting, she texted me and said she was playing city council,” Stone said.