Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor | Parker a good fit for Charter Review position
I’m writing to share my personal opinions regarding Letters to the Editor around Gary Parker and his candidacy for the nonpartisan County Charter Review position.
Gary is a stand-up member of our community. While he and his wife supported my former opponent in the 2023 general election (and I’ll add that my opponent had been endorsed by the Pierce County Young Democrats) when I was running for the park board, I don’t hold that against him. During my campaign, Gary and I sat down and had meaningful conversations about local issues and our park district and those conversations have continued since I joined the board.
Gary consistently gives back to the community, sponsoring events for seniors, youth, and veterans. He’s been honored with several community awards, including Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, and Rotarian of the Year. He’s also been a tireless advocate for establishing a senior center in our city.
Billy Sehmel
I believe Gary has both the experience and the commitment to serve our community well in this role. Because the Charter Review positions are nonpartisan, we have the opportunity to set politics aside. Without all the party lines and political drama, we can actually work together, find common ground, and make real progress on the issues that matter most to our community. Though don’t take my word for it, or the word of another letters author, read the voter pamphlet and make your own choice.
For those that aren’t aware the County Charter Review Commission serves as the “constitution” of Pierce County and it requires a formal citizen review no less than every 10 years. The last Charter Review Commission was elected in the fall of 2015 and served during 2016.
Countywide, the Charter Review board has 21 positions, in district 7 we get 3 of those. The commission meets, seeks public input, and proposes charter amendments. Those proposed charter amendments are then sent to the General Election for county voters to vote on and a simple majority results in a new or amended law.
Again, the above is just my personal opinion and does not reflect any organization that I may be involved with.
Billy Sehmel
Fox Island