Gerend Says He'll Run Again for Sammamish City Council

Councilmember Don Gerend announced on Saturday, May 4 that he will run for another four-year term on the Sammamish City Council.

Gerend has been selected as Mayor three times by the council and has served since the city's incorporation in 1999 in the council's position No. 5 seat.

"I feel privileged to have served the citizens of Sammamish these fourteen years and have thoroughly enjoyed the many challenges and accomplishments that we have experienced together during this tenure," he said in an election campaign press release. "I look forward to exciting projects ahead, including development of the Community/aquatics Center and the Town Center, and the longer term vision of an Emerald Necklace of greenbelt and trails encircling the Great City of Sammamish."

Gerend is the last incumbent to announce he will seek re-election to Sammamish City Council. Councilmembers John James and John Curley declined to seek a second term, and current Sammamish Mayor Tom Odell announced he would run again in April. Sammamish Kiwanis president Bob Keller announced he would run to replace Curley.

According to the press release, Gerend says that after first focusing on the myriad of decisions and actions involved with starting a new city, the Sammamish Council recognized the importance of developing strong working relationships and advocacy at the Regional, State and National levels for the betterment of cities in general and Sammamish in particular.

“Sammamish citizens have enjoyed a lower tax rate than our neighbors in unincorporated King County while seeing enhanced attention paid to infrastructure improvements and service delivery. Unlike neighboring cities, and most cities in Washington State, Sammamish does not charge city utility taxes, and local businesses enjoy not having city business and occupation taxes. Our park and public open space has increased tenfold since incorporation, arterials have been rebuilt and essential transportation connections have been constructed.” In addition, he notes that Sammamish is one of only six cities in the State with AAA bond rating and actually has no outstanding bonded indebtedness at all.

Gerend also touted his credentials in serving on a variety of local, state and national committees, including (but not limited to) his role as Treasurer of the Sound Cities Association, the King County Regional Transit Committee, National League of Cities Information Technology and Communications, Eastside Transportation Partnership (and was past Chair of this Eastside forum), and the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Transportation Policy Board (Chair of the Finance Working Group). At the State level he was appointed to represent all cities on the Road Usage Charge Steering Committee providing direction to the State Transportation Commission.

Gerend has lived in Sammamish since 1979 with his wife, Susan. Their two adult children graduated from Issaquah High School; daughter Jennifer is a Professor of Urban Planning at Evergreen College and son Jason is a technical writer at Microsoft.

Gerend has a B.S. in Applied Math and Engineering Physics, as well as an M.S. in Physics, from the University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Washington. He worked as a rocket scientist at Boeing, was a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Seattle University and had a second career in commercial real estate brokerage and syndication. His number crunching ability and varied careers have served him well in listening to and carrying out the wishes and desires of the citizens of Sammamish.