POULSBO – Ken Thomas was elected to a full term on the Poulsbo City Council, Position 1, Nov. 3.
In unofficial election results posted at 8:05 p.m., Thomas has 790 votes to Amanda Cheatham’s 509. Poulsbo City Council members are elected to four-year terms. They receive $700 a month.
This was Cheatham’s first time running for office. “I’ve had a lot of positive feedback … and one of the biggest things is people are looking for something different,” Cheatham said. “I think that’s what they see in me. I haven’t done this before and I have a fresh perspective.”
Earlier on Election Day, Cheatham said one thing she would’ve done differently in her campaign is go door-to-door earlier. “I think I would’ve started doorbelling sooner so I could reach more people earlier,” Cheatham said.
She also said she’ll be involved in city government going forward and would like to join a city committee.
“As I’m able to, I’ll make it a point to become a part of at least one committee,” Cheatham said.
Cheatham, 40, is a self-described “hometown girl” — a fourth-generation Poulsbo resident who briefly moved away, then returned to raise her daughter here because she wanted her to have the same experience growing-up that she had. She earned her associate’s degree at Olympic College, works in customer service for the Kitsap Public Utility District and is executive director of the Miss West Sound Scholarship Organization.
Cheatham’s priorities were promoting the local economy (more unique events to draw visitors, such as a Bite of Poulsbo; and, on Viking Avenue, a “Guys’ Night,” similar to downtown’s Girls’ Night Out); improving public safety (better street lighting and sidewalks where needed); and engaging residents to improve participation in local government.
Thomas was appointed to the City Council in January 2015 after the position was vacated by Linda Berry-Maraist.
Thomas served as a City Council member in Goodyear, Arizona, in 1977-78, when he was in his early 20s. He went on to earn degrees in political science, public administration and education, and served a career as a Navy officer. He was introduced to Poulsbo in 1986 when he was stationed at Bangor — “I knew this was the place where I wanted to spend the rest of my life” — and moved here in 2009.
When asked what message of his resonated with voters, Thomas said, “The idea of smooth and efficient operation of city government.”
During his campaign, he took note of the city’s diversifying population, and said he wants to make sure all people have a voice in the city. He proposed engaging residents by working closely with neighborhood associations to promote activities in more areas of the city. He wants to see the same organized effort on Viking Avenue that downtown has, with events that draw people there. He wants to maintain the city’s natural surroundings; “The surrounding natural beauty, the ridges and woods within the city, the distinct neighborhoods bound by pathways and streets that unify the entire city — these are all things which should be protected and enhanced,” he said. He believes there should be a Municipal Court program similar to the alternative courts on the Superior Court level, enabling people to work off their fines through community service rather than accumulate debt.
Four of seven council positions were on the ballot. Connie Lord, Position 2, was elected to her fifth council term. Gary Nystul, Position 3, was elected to a second term. They ran unopposed.
Jeff McGinty, Position 4, was elected to his seventh term. He’s the longest-serving council member in city history and is the mayor pro tem. His opponent, retired Navy chief petty officer Gregory Mueller, dropped his campaign in early September to tend to personal legal matters, leaving McGinty unopposed although Mueller’s name was still on the ballot.
McGinty received 1,026 votes to Mueller’s 232.
McGinty’s priorities include revitalization of south Viking Avenue; he feels mixed-use development — now allowed in zoning by the city — would make “a nice entry” to Poulsbo.
Projects he wants to see through to completion: construction of the new public works yard on Viking Way; expanded use of telemetry, used to remotely monitor and control public utilities; continued detection and correction of stormwater infiltration into the city’s wastewater system; and adoption of the SmartGov system, which would make it possible to file building permits online.
