Community Government

Rawley challenging incumbent Kingsbury for PenMet board seat

The same quintet will govern PenMet Parks for the next two years unless Jesse Rawley supplants incumbent Laurel Kingsbury.

Kurt Grimmer, who was also up for election, drew no challengers and will slide into his third six-year term. No other commissioner’s tenure expires until the end of 2027.

The park district comprises Pierce County from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Purdy bridge. City of Gig Harbor residents, who have their own parks department, aren’t included.

Commissioners approve policies, adopt an annual budget and set the direction for the district’s professional staff. They are volunteers who can receive a stipend for attending meetings.

Rawley wants to give back

Rawley, 46, grew up in a small Iowa town, brought up by a single mother, coaches and community members.

“So I felt like I was raised by the village and always wanted to give back to the community,” he said.

Rawley earned a bachelor’s degree in financial management and played football at Upper Iowa University in Fayette. A 23-year career as an employee benefits broker consultant landed him in Gig Harbor.

Rawley views the PenMet post as a way to give back. He, his wife and two young daughters love the parks and visit them frequently.

Jesse Rawley and family. Contributed photo

Rawley intends to keep the position nonpartisan and touted endorsements by former Democratic state senator Nathan Schlicter and Republican state representative Spencer Hutchins as evidence. However, “It got partisan in about two minutes after I announced I was running at my Rotary meeting,” he lamented.

Remaining nonpartisan

“I choose not to be that guy,” he said of partisanship. “Stay above board, be respectful and may the best person to represent the constituents win. That’s how I choose to be in life, be a connector and bring people together. I don’t want to divide. I try to see everyone for who they are and how they treat me personally. I just think that’s a better way of life.”

He sees room for improvement in a couple areas. The district spends too much money on lawyers and consultants that could be going into parks themselves or toward a cost-of-living increase for workers, he said.

“I want to support the employees,” he said. “I want to make sure we’re taking care of them. Stop spending money everywhere else. I just want to be a good steward of the finances.”

Rawley opposes raising taxes and would pursue “the billions of dollars in grants available,” he said in his voters’ pamphlet statement.

Sees too much rubber-stamping

“My biggest thing is the transparency and rubber-stamping of the current board,” he said. “You can’t just be rubber-stamping everything. I’m a big questioning type of guy. I want to dig deeper and find out why. When I attend board meetings I see a lot of 5-0 votes.”

Kingsbury, who earned a political science degree from Western Washington University, said she’s always treasured parks, community and civic engagement. Since her first poli sci course she’s been interested in how people and societies govern themselves.

“I find that fascinating, from federal down to local,” she said. “I really think that local is where the impact is made … and I think that PenMet Parks and being on the board there is a great example.”

Board President Laurel Kingsbury cuts the ribbon during the opening of the rec center. Commissioners Billy Sehmel and Missy Hill are on the left. Photo courtesy of PenMet Parks.

Kingsbury’s degree led to some interesting positions, including government relations coordinator for the U.S. Olympic Committee, Congressional staffer and Washington state Senate aide. She later added a master’s degree in education from Pacific Lutheran University and has taught for much of the past 20 years. She currently teaches physical education at Discovery Elementary.

Kingsbury, 50, said the teaching job fits seamlessly with her PenMet position, including helping to formalize a joint-use agreement between Peninsula School District and PenMet.

The Kingsbury family moved near PenMet’s Sehmel Homestead Park and became captivated by it. Laurel began attending board meetings there. When a commissioner retired six years ago, Kingsbury decided to run for the seat.

“I felt it was a good way to get more involved to help guide the park district and stir it along to keep improving things for our community,” she said.

Much achieved during first term

Kingsbury said she’s proud of all PenMet has accomplished during her term, including a new rec center, renovated Arletta Schoolhouse and Rosedale Hall, upcoming upgrades to Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit Park, planning for a new park at the former Peninsula Gardens site and increased programming.

“PenMet is still a young metropolitan park district, but the progress made during the last few years since I’ve been on the board shows what’s possible when good governance meets community engagement,” she wrote for the voters’ pamphlet. “I have worked pretty hard to ensure our district grows wisely, maintains transparency, and delivers meaningful benefits for all.”

Kingsbury is serving this year as parks board president, as chosen by the group.

Rawley’s campaign has raised $4,700 and Kingsbury’s $3,366 through Oct. 2, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

As Kingsbury and Rawley were the only candidates to file for the position, they weren’t part of the August primary election.

Question & answer

Gig Harbor Now asked both candidates for written responses to five questions regarding the park district. Their responses are printed verbatim below:

1. What are your priorities for park and recreation programs and facilities?

Jesse Rawley

My top priority is our PenMet Parks people. The employees who care for our parks, serve our community, and bring our programs to life are the backbone of everything we do. Supporting them with the resources, respect, and recognition they deserve is essential to delivering the high-quality services our constituents expect.

Jesse Rawley

Alongside that, I’m deeply committed to fiscal responsibility, transparency, and meaningful community input. Every dollar we spend should reflect our values and our community’s needs. That means making smart, sustainable investments, being open about our decisions, and listening closely to the voices of those we serve.

Another key priority is to secure funding through private investment and grants, for a senior center and a community pool — two vital amenities that would enhance quality of life, promote wellness, and foster connection across generations. These projects reflect our broader mission: To build parks and facilities that are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the evolving needs of our community.

Laurel Kingsbury

As a current PenMet Parks Commissioner, I’m just so proud of the progress we’ve made over the past six years, not only expanding access to our parks and programs but also planning and executing responsible growth. In my next term, I will continue to prioritize access and responsible management. A major priority for many in our community is aquatics, and I’m excited to help launch PenMet’s new aquatics program in partnership with the Peninsula School District. Also, if voters support it, I’d love to explore building that community pool. With the beautiful new Recreation Center and Jarzynka Memorial Field now open, I look forward to expanding programming and use of that facility. We will also begin the construction of a new community park at Pen Gardens, and continue accessibility and adaptability upgrades at DeMolay Sandspit so all residents can enjoy our shoreline. I will keep investing in programming for Seniors, and focus on making our current youth programming enhanced with adaptive components. PenMet has a plethora of beautiful parks, woods, forests, shorelines and natural spaces and it is of the utmost importance to me that we continue the upkeep and stewardship of those natural, treasured open spaces.

2. How will you ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency in the district’s budget and major projects?

Rawley

I will ask a lot of questions. I will advocate for fiscal responsibility and transparency, clear budget priorities, open reporting, and regular public engagement. I support audits and reviews to keep spending accountable and aligned with community needs. Every dollar should be strategic, justified, and community-driven.

Kingsbury

Laurel Kingsbury

PenMet is a relatively young metropolitan park district, it was only about 15 years old when I joined the board and at that time it was still building the systems needed for full transparency and fiscal oversight. One of the things I’m most proud of is that over the past six years, we’ve made significant progress in financial accountability. With guidance from the board and the expertise of our excellent staff, PenMet plans, projects, and manages a large, balanced budget with a focus on accountability and transparency. We’ve instituted stronger policies, clearer reporting, and ensured public engagement in our budgeting process. In my next term, I’ll work to uphold and strengthen these measures so our community can continue to trust how its dollars are invested.

3. What is PenMet’s most pressing financial challenge, and how would you address it without significantly affecting service and property taxes?

Rawley

It is my understanding that the unionized portion of the PenMet workforce will be in a contract negotiation in the near future. I would like to prioritize the entire PenMet staff ahead of all the projects, legal work, consulting work that appear to take precedence.

Kingsbury

PenMet’s most pressing financial challenge is balancing a growing community’s needs with the level of funding our voters choose to support. Because the recent levy did not pass, the community will ultimately determine how much they want to invest in local parks and recreation. Our responsibility as a district is to honor that decision and continue to plan, project, and manage a balanced budget within those resources. Just as we’ve done over the past six years, we’ll prioritize essential services, look for efficiencies, and phase projects responsibly so we can build, maintain, and program high-quality parks and recreation opportunities while being mindful of the financial impact on our residents.

4. How would you work with the park district’s executive director and staff to achieve the board’s goals while respecting their expertise in daily management?

Kingsbury

As the current president of the board, I work closely with PenMet’s executive director on a weekly basis to ensure the board and staff are moving in tandem toward our shared goals. It’s all very much a collaborative process where together the board and staff leadership set annual and long-term priorities, determine themes and objectives, and make sure the community’s needs and desires are reflected in our plans. I respect the expertise of our executive director and staff in day-to-day management while providing policy direction and oversight on behalf of the board, so that our decisions are both strategic and responsive to the public we serve.

Rawley

I would prioritize collaboration and communication like I have my entire professional career. Together we need to establish a clear strategic direction, have regular & open communication and encourage employees to think “big” and execute those ideas.

How has PenMet excelled and what can it do better?

Rawley

PenMet has helped build one of the foundational cornerstones to a great district, good parks. Everyone wants good schools, good healthcare and good parks. However, there’s always opportunity to grow and improve. PenMet needs to stop the frivolous spending on legal & consulting fees, it needs to be more transparent with its constituents and address evolving community needs as our PenMet district continues to grow and evolve.

Kingsbury

PenMet has excelled in nearly every area one could measure, programming, capital improvements, staffing, and community engagement. I believe a key reason for this success is that, in the six years I’ve been on the board, PenMet established guiding documents such as our Strategic Plan and PROS Plan. These plans prioritize community-centered goals and objectives, have significantly shaped the district’s direction, and ensured responsible public investment. As a result, we’ve seen exponential growth in senior and youth programming, including adaptive and specialized services and summer camps ranging from sports to art to nature. We’ve set aside funding to assist families who need it, protected and cared for hundreds of acres of natural spaces, and continued to offer beloved community events like concerts and movies in the park, the Scarecrow Festival, and spring egg hunts. We’ve built a stunning indoor Recreation Center with a large field out front for games and activities, and expanded the Cushman Trail so residents can bike or walk from the Narrows Bridge all the way to Gig Harbor North. We’ve remodeled and restored treasured valued landmarks in the Rosedale Hall and Arletta School House. This is just naming a few of the many, many accomplishments PenMet has achieved. I believe with my whole heart that PenMet is a rare example of how much a community can achieve when public dollars are invested and managed responsibly, and I’m just so proud of this work and eager to continue safeguarding and strengthening these assets for the next six years.