Eatonville town administrator resigns from position

Eatonville Town Administrator Abby Gribi announced at the Sept. 27 Eatonville Town Council meeting that she is resigning from her position.

Her last day on the job was Oct. 1.

Gribi, 42, has been hired as the city administrator for Newport, Washington, in Pend Oreille County in the eastern part of the state. Her first day of her new job is Oct. 27.

Councilmembers were effusive in their praise of Gribi, who has been Eatonville’s town administrator since 2016 and served on the Town Council starting in 2011.

“I know over the last couple of administrations you’ve had a huge impact on this town,” Councilmember Bill Dunn said, calling her the “face of the town.”

He went on to say, “This is a loss for the town, and I don’t know how we can compensate for it.”

“Abby, I wish you well on your ventures, wherever they take you from here, and thanks for all your hard work over your years between Planning Commission and council and Town Admin. Thank you,” Councilmember Emily McFadden said.

Like many others on the council, Councilmember Bob Walter complimented Gribi on the considerable time she dedicated to Eatonville.

“You’re always available, and it’s much appreciated,” he said.

Councilmember Robert Thomas summed it up: “Abby, thank you for your service to Eatonville.”

In other business conducted during the short — under 30 minutes — meeting, the council passed Resolution 2021-JJ, amending Eatonville’s financial policies to make minor clarifying changes.

The council set Oct. 11 — the next town council meeting — for a hearing on Crabtree Surveying’s request to change the zoning of the Lynch Creek property, located in the northeastern portion of Eatonville and bordered on the west by the Lynch Creek Road and Eatonville Airport on the east, from multifamily residential to downtown commercial for the development of single-family residences and aircraft storage hangars.

The council approved the agenda of the next Zoom meeting of the Planning Commission, which took place Monday, which was a continuation of the last meeting that saw a commercial review of Chapter 19, Design Standards and Guidelines, of the Eatonville Municipal Code.