on council
By Kevin Hanson
The Courier-Herald
Four candidates are expected to appear before the Enumclaw City Council Monday night, each hoping to fill a current vacancy on the seven-member body.
The opening was created in April when Tim Temples resigned due to a move from the area. By law, the council has until the end of this month to fill the empty seat.
On Monday, each candidates will be given the opportunity to address the council and, in turn, council members will be free to question the candidates. Typically, council members will then adjourn to discuss their options, then name their choice. Swearing-in is expected to take place Monday night.
The four Enumclaw residents who entered their names for consideration are (in alphabetical order):
€ Christine Barnhart - "I am a firm believer that one person can make a difference in our community, with patience, endurance and a positive attitude," she wrote in her application letter.
Barnhart cites community involvement with the Enumclaw Rotary Club, Enumclaw Area Chamber of Commerce (1995-97) and former work with the city's Fourth of July Committee.
Barnhart has worked since 1997 as an inventory specialist with the Helac Corp. Before that, she owned Rainier Sign Company in Enumclaw (1991-97) and worked for Tacoma Sign Company in Tacoma (1988-90).
€ Athena Dean - "I have a desire to serve the city of Enumclaw with my entrepreneurship and business sense, enthusiasm and commitment to excellence," she wrote when applying for the council vacancy.
Her community involvement includes membership in the Enumclaw Downtown Partnership (where she's now a board member and chairwoman of the Economic Restructuring Committee) and membership in the local Rotary Club; also, she's a former member of the city's Parks Board.
Since 1992, Dean has built Wine Press Publishing, a custom publishing company. Originally a home-based business, it now represents more than 700 authors from downtown Enumclaw offices. She is involved both regionally and nationally in organizations for Christian writers.
€ Douglas Gonzales - "I feel that my experiences and education would be an asset to the council," he wrote. "In addition, I would hope that I could add to the diversity of the City Council as a member of the ever-growing Hispanic community."
A resident of Enumclaw since 1999, Gonzales is a chaplain for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, working in Seatac. He conducts worship services, offers individual counseling and coordinates events for all faiths. Previous work experience includes serving as pastor for Nazarene Churches in Maryland and West Virginia.
The information packet he provided to the city made no mention of community involvement.
€ Jim Hogan - Believing the city is currently well-governed, Hogan writes of his desire to see Enumclaw "continue to provide essential city services in a fiscally responsible way, while taking a reasonable approach to growth and economic development."
An Enumclaw resident nearly all his life, Hogan is a volunteer firefighter (lieutenant) and Emergency Medical technician, has served on the city's Design Review Board since 1999, was a member of the Enumclaw School District's recent facilities committee, was chairman of the fireworks program for the 1999 Fourth of July celebration and, in the mid-1990s, was appointed to the city's Street and Sidewalk Committee.
Professionally, he leads a staff of 26 as manager of the Standards and Compliance Department for Puget Sound Energy. Before that, he worked for Exotic Metals Forming Company in Kent and spent a decade with Boeing.
