Glucoft: "Warehouses Are Like Cockroaches"

Sometimes an analogy with insects is the best way to express an opinion, at least for one Puyallup City Council candidate.

“At this point in time, I do not agree with the re-zoning of that area,” Corry Glucoft said of the plan to work with unused farmland on the Van Lierop property. “Warehouses are like cockroaches. Once you put one up, that’s all there’s going to be in that area.”

The regarded re-zone of the Van Lierop property is near Shaw Road. The 13-acre lot is zoned for light manufacturing, with no plans to create a community shopping center. This topic was one of several discussed at the candidate forum Aug. 8.

Glucoft, John Hopkins, Steve Hastings, Heather Shadko, Julie Door and Chris McNutt took questions from citizens about their positions on hot-button issues, as well as reflecting on why they are passionate about serving the city, at a luncheon at Best Western Park Plaza Hotel. The Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce put on the forum, moderated by Pierce County Council Chair Joyce McDonald.

One question from a luncheon attendee dealt with the method of continually raising the costs of utilities.

“Do I think we should continue with the increases? No,” Hopkins said. “I think at this point, we need to review all the utilities and verify that things are operating the way they’re supposed to and analyze their efficiency… Our utilities are sadly lacking in District 1.”

“Eventually you get to a point where you are putting such a burden on the senior citizens of the city,” Hastings said on the same subject. “It really becomes unsustainable.”

Door continually emphasized infrastructure in her answers.

“We are not funding our infrastructure the way we should,” she said. 

“We have a great community here, but we have some issues with our sewers and streets, and we need to keep working on that,” Shadko added.

Each of the candidates expressed desire for the betterment of the overall sense of community, between the three districts, city government, small businesses and active duty military members.

“We should seek revenue through prosperity, not percentage,” McNutt said.