Changes coming to City Council
November 10, 2009
By Ari Cetron
By Ari Cetron and J.B. Wogan
The Sammamish City Council will have three new faces in January. Voters seemed generally eager for a new direction and rejected one incumbent and two members of the Planning Commission who were backed by current council members.
Turnout was moderate with a little more than 45 percent of the city’s 26,230 registered voters bothering to mail in their ballot. However, that number will continue to creep up over the coming days as the final, late arriving ballots are processed.
Although there are still some to be counted, the margins of victory are so high that it seems unlikely that any of the candidates currently behind will be able to pull ahead.
The one incumbent who won, Don Gerend, rose above the fray and trounced political newcomer Michael Rutt by a 70-30 margin. Gerend will become the only member of the original, 1999 City Council still serving.
“I’m very humbled. The people have basically said I’ve done a good job and they want me to continue,” Gerend said.
Gerend was grateful to have an opponent, which he said will make him a sharper leader.
“I really enjoyed it, by participating in the forums and the interviews, it made me put things in perspective,” he said.
He was encouraged by the tone struck by the other candidates who will be joining him on the council.
“They sound fiscally conservative, sensitive to the needs of the community … and also sensitive to the fact that we have to diversify in terms of revenue by encouraging the Town Center to grow and mature,” he said.
Tom Odell, a retired marketing director, will be moving to the council after knocking off 10-year councilman Jack Barry. Odell is winning 58-42.
Odell said he was surprised by the size of his victory, but looks forward to his time on the council.
“I think we’re all coming in as agents of change, but managed change,” he said. “We have a city that’s pretty darn good, frankly.”
The other two races featured outsiders who defeated Planning Commissioners. Both commissioners had been supported by current members of the City Council.
John James, a real estate agent who’s run for council before, defeated Planning Commissioner Erica Tiliacos. James received 57 percent of the vote to 42 for Tiliacos.
James planned to celebrate his victory by going out for ice cream.
“I promised the kids I was going to buy them ice cream, regardless,” he said.
John Curley, a former host of television’s “Evening Magazine” has received his congratulatory call from opponent Tom Vance. Curley won the closest race of the year by a solid 54-46 margin.
Curley, however, said he plans to be cautious, and not celebrate his victory until all the votes have been counted.
“I’m really waiting for the fat lady to sing,” he said.
In the Issaquah School District, Marnie Maraldo topped Wright Noel 58-41. Chad Magendanz cruised to an unopposed win.
In the Lake Washington schools, Sammamish resident Doug Eglington won re-election 78-21. His opponent, Julie Wright had withdrawn.
In countywide races, County Councilman Dow Constantine beat former television newswoman Susan Hutchison 58-41.
All four of King County’s charter amendments passed by hefty margins.
Lloyd Hara looks to become the county’s next assessor.
On the statewide ballot initiatives, Sammamish-specific results will not be available for a few weeks. However, both issues seem decided.
R-71, which would guarantee marriage-like benefits for homosexual couples and unmarried heterosexual senior citizen couples looks like it will pass statewide with the current margin of victory at 52 percent to 48 percent.
I-1033, which would have imposed tax collection caps on state and local governments seems like it will be defeated, 57 percent of voters rejected the measure while 43 voted for it.
King County’s election results will continue to be updated daily at about 4:30 p.m. for the next few days.
To see the most current vote tallies, visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/200911/results.aspx.
Editor Ari Cetron can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 233, or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
The Sammamish City Council will have three new faces in January. Voters seemed generally eager for a new direction and rejected one incumbent and two members of the Planning Commission who were backed by current council members.
Turnout was moderate with a little more than 45 percent of the city’s 26,230 registered voters bothering to mail in their ballot. However, that number will continue to creep up over the coming days as the final, late arriving ballots are processed.
Although there are still some to be counted, the margins of victory are so high that it seems unlikely that any of the candidates currently behind will be able to pull ahead.
The one incumbent who won, Don Gerend, rose above the fray and trounced political newcomer Michael Rutt by a 70-30 margin. Gerend will become the only member of the original, 1999 City Council still serving.
“I’m very humbled. The people have basically said I’ve done a good job and they want me to continue,” Gerend said.
Gerend was grateful to have an opponent, which he said will make him a sharper leader.
“I really enjoyed it, by participating in the forums and the interviews, it made me put things in perspective,” he said.
He was encouraged by the tone struck by the other candidates who will be joining him on the council.
“They sound fiscally conservative, sensitive to the needs of the community … and also sensitive to the fact that we have to diversify in terms of revenue by encouraging the Town Center to grow and mature,” he said.
Tom Odell, a retired marketing director, will be moving to the council after knocking off 10-year councilman Jack Barry. Odell is winning 58-42.
Odell said he was surprised by the size of his victory, but looks forward to his time on the council.
“I think we’re all coming in as agents of change, but managed change,” he said. “We have a city that’s pretty darn good, frankly.”
The other two races featured outsiders who defeated Planning Commissioners. Both commissioners had been supported by current members of the City Council.
John James, a real estate agent who’s run for council before, defeated Planning Commissioner Erica Tiliacos. James received 57 percent of the vote to 42 for Tiliacos.
James planned to celebrate his victory by going out for ice cream.
“I promised the kids I was going to buy them ice cream, regardless,” he said.
John Curley, a former host of television’s “Evening Magazine” has received his congratulatory call from opponent Tom Vance. Curley won the closest race of the year by a solid 54-46 margin.
Curley, however, said he plans to be cautious, and not celebrate his victory until all the votes have been counted.
“I’m really waiting for the fat lady to sing,” he said.
In the Issaquah School District, Marnie Maraldo topped Wright Noel 58-41. Chad Magendanz cruised to an unopposed win.
In the Lake Washington schools, Sammamish resident Doug Eglington won re-election 78-21. His opponent, Julie Wright had withdrawn.
In countywide races, County Councilman Dow Constantine beat former television newswoman Susan Hutchison 58-41.
All four of King County’s charter amendments passed by hefty margins.
Lloyd Hara looks to become the county’s next assessor.
On the statewide ballot initiatives, Sammamish-specific results will not be available for a few weeks. However, both issues seem decided.
R-71, which would guarantee marriage-like benefits for homosexual couples and unmarried heterosexual senior citizen couples looks like it will pass statewide with the current margin of victory at 52 percent to 48 percent.
I-1033, which would have imposed tax collection caps on state and local governments seems like it will be defeated, 57 percent of voters rejected the measure while 43 voted for it.
King County’s election results will continue to be updated daily at about 4:30 p.m. for the next few days.
To see the most current vote tallies, visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/200911/results.aspx.
Editor Ari Cetron can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 233, or samrev@isspress.com.
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