Gig Harbor Share 'Thinking Of Running For Elected Office'

Press release from the City of Gig Harbor:

March 5, 2021

Elections will be held in November for the following positions:

• Mayor (currently held by Kit Kuhn)
• Councilmember Position 1 (currently held by Jeni Woock)
• Councilmember Position 2 (currently held by Bob Himes)
• Councilmember Position 3 (currently held by Jim Franich)
• Councilmember Position 7 (currently held by Spencer Abersold)

Candidates must file with Pierce County during the week of May 17-21.

The following information has been collected to provide prospective candidates with information about the duties and expectations that come with elected office in Gig Harbor. For more information, please contact City Clerk Molly Towslee.

Pierce County Elections:

• Information for Candidates - Filing for Office in 2021
• 2021 Election Guide for Candidates

Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC):

• Running for Office? Thinking About It...
• Roles and Responsibilities of Local Government Leaders
• Getting into Office: Being Elected or Appointed into Office in Washington Counties, Cities, Towns, and Special Districts
• Candidate Information Resources for Local Government Elective Offices
• Quick Guide for Newly Elected City Officials
• Local Government Policy-Making Process
• The Open Public Meetings Act - How it Applies to Washington Cities, Counties, and Special Purpose Districts
• Code City Handbook

Association of Washington Cities (AWC):

• So you want to be an elected official... Practical information for people running for office in Washington’s cities and towns
• Mayor & Councilmember Handbook
• What is a City? An overview of Washington cities’ functions and services
• Knowing the legal territory
• Suggestions for Successful Public Service: 53 Ideas on How You can Govern Better
• Small City Resource Manual
• Certificate of Municipal Leadership

Public Disclosure Commission (PDC):

• New Candidate FAQs
• Campaign Online Filing

City of Gig Harbor:

• 2021 Budget
• City Council Guidelines and Procedures
• City Council Meetings Minutes & Recordings
• Gig Harbor Municipal Code
• Gig Harbor Ordinances & Resolutions
• Gig Harbor Comprehensive Plan

General Information - Planning

• Washington State Department of Commerce website, Local Government Portal -This is the Department of Commerce’s main webpage related to the local government services, needs, and planning. Reviewing the links under the “Educations, Training, Technical Assistance” and “Planners” headers is recommended. These links summarize many different planning topics related to the Growth Management Act (GMA).
• MRSC - Planning - This page provides links in-depth information on a many planning topics and is typically used for staff research.
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) - The GMA gives the PSRC oversight and control of federal monies related to transportation funding for the four county region of Pierce, King, Kitsap and Snohomish. The city has to meet their criteria in our updates to our Comprehensive Plan to remain eligible for all transportation funding. You may want to take a few moments to review “Regional Planning” under the Our Work Tab and “Planning Services” under the Data and Resources Tab. PSRC also maintains a large amount of growth/population/employment data for the four counties and provide access to that under the Data and Resources tab.
• VISION 2050 is the overarching document that delineates how the City of Gig Harbor should address their future growth. This is a guidance document. Planning Staff are required to provide PSRC with a checklist filled out upon adoption of Comprehensive Plan amendments and major updates. The Plan Review page explains this process.
• If you have further planning questions, please contact the Community Development Director Katrina Knutson.

Other Recommended Resources

• State Auditor’s Office Center for Government Innovation – Provides training and technical assistance to local governments in Washington to improve performance, efficiency, and effectiveness
• National League of Cities – Advocates on behalf of cities at the federal level and provides training and research
• Harvard University: Transition Manual for Newly Elected Mayors (2007) – Information on setting priorities, building relationships, and staffing the office
• Governing Institute: Guide to Financial Literacy – Information on how to connect money, policy, and priorities

This press release was produced by the City of Gig Harbor. The views expressed here are the author’s own.