Downtown business owner Karen Rowe has been appointed to the Aberdeen City Council to fill the Fourth Ward seat vacated by Kathi Hoder. Rowe received five out of 10 council votes cast, was immediately sworn-in by Finance Director Mike Folkers and took her seat alongside the other council members to participate in most of Wednesday’s meeting.
Rowe, who co-owns GH Wine Sellars with her husband, Ryan, has served on the board of the Aberdeen Revitalization Movement, as chair of the Aberdeen Founders’ Day Parade and as an affiliate board member of the Grays Harbor Association of Realtors.
“Thank you for giving me the chance,” Rowe said. “I’ve lived here my entire life and I’m very excited to represent my community.”
Hoder resigned late last year after moving to Hoquiam. Six people sent letters of introduction to potentially occupy the open seat but only four of them came to address the council: Rowe, Janae Chhith, Les Bolton and Courtney Barclay.
Voting for Rowe were Council members Tawni Andrews, James Cook, Alice Phelps, Kathi Prieto and Peter Schave.
Chhith, who serves on Revival Grays Harbor and is an ambassador for Greater Grays Harbor Inc., obtained four votes, from Council members Tim Alstrom, Denny Lawrence, Dee Anne Shaw and Margo Shorrt. Bolton, who had been the longtime executive director of Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, received one vote from Alan Richrod. Mayor Erik Larson and Council member Jeff Cook weren’t at the meeting.
Several council members made note of the caliber of the people wanting to serve.
“This was not an easy vote,” Lawrence said.
He was prepared to go one way after reading the letters but found he was still trying to decide who to choose during the candidates’ verbal presentations.
It gave him a thrill to see so much interest in a position with “low pay and a high level of responsibility,” he said.
And Prieto said the candidates each possessed unique skills that would benefit Aberdeen.
She urged those who didn’t get chosen Wednesday to continue being interested in their community and local government.
“Don’t go back into the shadows,” she urged.
Rowe said she’s most interested in “getting some more jobs in our town.”
It’s not a full-length appointment for Rowe. Her seat will be up for election later this year and candidates would need to file for office from May 15-19. The winner of that race will serve a four-year term.
Familiar faces in new places
As it was the council’s first meeting of the new year, members elected a Council President and chose leaders for their standing committees. Andrews was chosen as Council President for 2017. Prieto nominated Andrews because, she said, “It’s time for some change” and that Andrews would provide a “different generational mindset” to leading the council. Schave served as council president last year.
Andrews, who is in her mid-to-late 40s, is among the younger council members. Pro-tem Council President is Lawrence, who will also chair the Public Safety Committee.
Alstrom will chair the Committee on Committees; Shaw will head up the Public Works Committee; and, Jeff Cook will lead the Finance Committee.
Other business
Council members also approved second reading of the flood hazard protection ordinance after consenting to minor changes and adopted a job description and classification for an entry-level engineer.
