Dennis Townsend, a Spanaway resident and former Bethel School Board member, has announced he'll run in this fall's election for the Pierce County Council in District 3. He's seeking the seat held by Jim McCune, a Republican. McCune has said he's a candidate for a second and final four-year term. Under the county charter, council members are limited to two terms in office. The official filing period for candidates is May 16-20. Townsend said he wants "to improve the quality of lifeGÇ¥ in District 3, which includes Spanaway, Graham, Eatonville, Kapowsin, Ashford and Roy. "Basic services, like additional (Sheriff Department) deputies, road improvements, sidewalks, fighting blight and litter, and supporting our schools are important, and they have taken a back seat to personal ideological pursuits that have wasted taxpayer dollars,GÇ¥ he said. "There's a lot of work to do. We have to focus our resources on the right places, not waste taxpayer money.GÇ¥ Townsend retired last year after a 42-year career in the telecommunications industry. He was a School Board member for 15 years. Other community involvement has included coaching in the Bethel Recreation Association for 20 years and serving with the county's Planning Commission, the Graham Business Association and the Pierce Transit Community Advisory Group. While working in Alaska and Oregon, he volunteered with an NPR affiliate and was a school board member and planning commission member, respectively. Public service is in his "nature,GÇ¥ he said. Townsend and his wife, Dona, returned to Spanaway five years ago. They have four grown children and five grandchildren. He said he's running as a Democrat but sees the council less as a partisan office and more as a "meat and potatoesGÇ¥ task of seeking out community for input to assess and resolve issues.
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