Calmer times should lie ahead for the Sequim City Council following last week's election, which saw Planning Commissioner Ted Miller unseating longtime incumbent Walt Schubert and former Councilor Don Hall defeating Planning Commissioner Mike East.

Incumbent Bill Huizinga, who was running unopposed, was re-elected.

"I certainly hope this is the end of all acrimony," said Mayor Laura Dubois, one of four new councilors elected in 2007.

"We've been accused of creating acrimony but, if you go through all the newspaper articles and meeting minutes, I don't think you will find the four newer - you can't call new anymore; we've been here two years - were acrimonious," she said.

After Ken Hays, Erik Erichsen, Susan Lorenzen and Dubois were elected to the council in 2007, she was chosen as mayor to replace Schubert, who had held the position for six years. Hays was chosen as deputy mayor.



Welcome back, Don

Dubois said she looks forward to working with Hall, who lost to Lorenzen in 2007, and has a great longtime relationship with Huizinga.

"Don Hall gets along with all of us and Ted Miller has helped us with the concurrency ordinance, which is long overdue.

(Concurrency requires that public services, utilities and schools meet needs required by growth.)

"He's been on the planning commission so that's great experience for the council," Dubois said.

Miller said he hopes to serve as a mediator, although doing business should be easier now with five councilors who share the same views.

The biggest issues will be concurrency and comprehensive plan amendments and, in a couple of years, impact fees, Miller said.



Referendum on growth

"I was little surprised. I really don't think people voted for or against either of us," Miller said.

"I believe it was a referendum on land use. We both focused on same issue. We gave them a clear choice and I think voters made it.

"Walt is a fine man and he's contributed a lot to this community, but I really think people were turned off by his land-use policies.

"I think there will be less dissent. I hope we can get things done. It should be easier for the staff as well."

Lorenzen said the 2009 election was "finishing what we set out to do" in 2007 when four councilors were elected on a platform of managed growth.

"Ted Miller worked very, very hard. He worked on concurrency and helped us with the transportation benefit district.

"He's smart and will be such an asset to the council," she said.



Hays: People care

Lorenzen said she's glad to see Hall return to the council. She attributed his 2007 defeat to being part of the status quo that voters were trying to change.

"I've never had one bad thing to say about him. I'm thrilled he was elected over Mike East, who is pro-developer.

"It's never been about growth versus no growth. It's been about pro-developer versus pro-growth."

Huizinga is a nice guy to have on the council because he's very reasonable and just wants to make good decisions, Lorenzen said.

Hays said the election results show the people of Sequim care about their community and want to be involved in what happens to it.

"This was a mandate on managed growth. It will be a more consolidated council, which does not mean you will have six people that agree on everything.

"You will have seven thoughtful people with different opinions, who will debate and discuss and find consensus more often than not," he said.

Reach Brian Gawley at bgawley@sequimgazette.com.