BREMERTON — Patricia Sullivan and Kevin Gorman were elected to the Bremerton City Council from districts 1 and 3, respectively, Nov. 7.
Michael Goodnow had a 35-vote lead over Melissa Kinzer in District 5.
In early returns election night, Sullivan has 414 votes to Suzanne Griffith’s 296, the Kitsap County Auditor Elections Office reported. Gorman had 546 votes to former council member Adam Brockus’s 318. Goodnow had 196 votes to Kinzer’s 161.
Updated results will be posted Nov. 8 by the elections office.
City Council members are elected to four-year terms and receive $12,000 to $13,800 a year, depending on when they were elected. Council members establish goals, priorities, and policies; adopt ordinances and resolutions; approve the annual budget; and monitor expenditures related to city business throughout the year.
Sullivan, a senior staff accountant for tax software developer Avalara, was appointed in September 2015 to complete the term of her husband, Michael J. Sullivan, who died of pancreatic cancer. Griffith is a library volunteer and adjunct professor at Olympic College.
During the campaign, Sullivan said she’ll work with the council to “increase our stock of housing and limit the regulatory burden we impose,” work with property owners and developers to reduce the cost of developing affordable housing, and push for development that minimizes impacts on the environment.
“It is our job as council members to ensure that our city provides the services our citizens need in a safe environment,” she said. “Citywide economic development will enable us to find sustainable funding for our infrastructure and public safety.”
Gorman will succeed Jerry McDonald, who chose not to run for another term. During the campaign, Gorman — a civil engineer and Manette community organizer — said his priorities are to promote community, fund street and sidewalk improvements and maintenance, and attract retail and commercial development. “These priorities support vibrant and connected neighborhoods,” he said. “We will meet Bremerton’s goals and create opportunities for safe and healthy lifestyles.”
Goodnow or Kinzer will succeed Dino Davis, who is also leaving the council. Kinzer — a small-business owner, Olympic College honors grad and Kitsap Rescue Mission volunteer — ran a low-profile campaign. She didn’t participate in a League of Women Voters candidates forum, and didn’t respond to a request for information for the Kitsap News Group’s Voters Guide.
In the Kitsap County Voters Pamphlet, she wrote, “As a single mother raising her son within our community, it is of the utmost importance to provide him and all children a safe and caring environment — one that affords them a quality education, safe and clean neighborhoods, parks, streets, sidewalks and playgrounds; to provide them opportunities to just be kids while in their youth, but also to achieve their full potential as they grow and mature toward adulthood.”
She added, “By all economic indicators, Bremerton is an up-and-coming city. As such, it will take strong leadership to meet the needs and demands of a rapidly growing community. This means taking action to support local businesses, making decisions that take into account the necessary infrastructure to support such growth, and to provide a positive environment for our families.”
During the campaign, Goodnow — a Bremerton planning commissioner, and president of the Downtown Bremerton Association and Kitsap Pride Network — said he wants to refocus attention on neighborhoods, not just downtown. He said his priorities are to develop business in Charleston and District 5, streamline permitting and consider “sustainable incentives” to encourage development of affordable housing, and improve public transportation services in Bremerton.
“I have the experience, knowledge and temperament to refocus the City Council on the neighborhoods and businesses in District 5,” he said.
— Richard Walker is managing editor of Kitsap News Group. Contact him at rwalker@soundpublishing.com.
