by MATTHEW NASH
Sequim Gazette
Another Sequim city councilor has announced his resignation.
Don Hall told the city on Wednesday, Oct. 10, he plans to resign after the budget season on Nov. 27.
The news comes less than a week after the council appointed Dennis Smith as it seventh city councilor to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Bill Huizinga.
“It’s been in the plans for a while,” Hall told the Gazette. “I’m 80 years old and it was just time.”
Hall tried for an appointed city council seat twice before being appointed June 5, 2002, following the resignation of former councilor Bill Thomas. He served the term through the end of 2003 and was re-elected to serve through 2007 before losing his second re-election bid. He ran again and was elected to the city council in 2008. His current term goes through December 2013.
Fellow city councilor Ken Hays said Hall is one of the most interesting people he’s met in the community.
“He is kind and thoughtful and always even-tempered,” Hays said.
“He brings a wealth of professional experience to his service. His boundless passion and commitment to Sequim, especially for our parks, is rare and for us a real treasure. I will dearly miss his presence on the city council.”
Hall, a retired quality insurance manager from Rhode Island, said he and his wife, June, looked all over the U.S. after retiring and discovered Sequim and liked the area.
He said his wife was interested in golf, swimming and exercise, but he wanted to get involved in the community as well. When he first tried for a council seat, Hall said, the council was considering going from seven to five councilors because there wasn’t much interest.
“I told told them no, you should absolutely not have five councilors. You need more representation,” Hall said.
Some of his personal accomplishments include helping install softball fields at Carrie Blake Park, pushing for the Sequim Dog Park, installing a path from the James Center for Performing Arts to the Water Reuse Site and putting in more signage at the park.
“I’m proud that I was able to get on the council and do these things,” he said. “I didn’t just want to sit around and vegetate.”
As for the future of Sequim, Hall would like to see sewer and water infrastructure installed along West Sequim Bay Road and for the city to annex Battelle/Pacific Marine Science Laboratory into the city limits.
“I’d like to see a clean industrial park out that way, too, for light industry,” he said. “I think it could go a long ways.”
Along with being a city councilor, Hall also served on the city’s planning commission for almost a year and has been active as a liaison between the council and the parks and recreation board. Hall plans to join the city’s parks board after his resignation, with council approval, and work on potential projects at Pioneer Park.
“It’s been a wonderful, interesting life and I’m glad I got involved,” Hall said.
He encourages more people to get involved, too.
“The more the better,” he said.
A second appointment
The city will seek candidates for Hall’s vacant seat to serve through 2013. Previous candidates not selected for Huizinga’s seat can apply again along with new candidates.
Applicants must have lived in the City of Sequim for at least one year continuously and hold no other public office or employment under the city government.
The city council will interview candidates in public at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10, at its regularly scheduled meeting in the Sequim Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St.
Applications are available at Sequim City Hall, 152 W. Cedar St., by phone at 683-4139 or online at www.sequimwa.gov. Deadline for submitting applications is 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16. The position’s salary is $150 per month.
