Dec. 27 — Longtime councilman steps down

Mike Connor reflects on more than a decade of experience on the Sumner City Council

Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald

Mike Connor has spent his career as a councilman trying to make Sumner the biggest little town in America.

That is, doing things the right way, not the easy way — and maintaining Sumner’s small-town charm at the same time.

One of his least favorite phrases is “It’s the right thing to do, but can we afford it?” Instead, he believes that once a city knows the right solution, it’s just a matter of doing it. The worst thing is to dream small.

“We don’t have to be second rate,” Connor said.

After more than 15 years on the Sumner City Council, Connor is retiring — but he feels good about the work he’s accomplished.Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow and longtime councilman Leroy Goff agreed that Connor has contributed positively to Sumner.

“Mike has done a really good job of being involved,” Enslow said. “(He) will be missed.”

Connor brought a clear and distinctive perspective to the council, Enslow said. He represented Sumner well and put in a lot of extra time, leaving Sumner a lot better off.

Goff, who has been on the council for 22 years, said when Connor joined it was nice to see someone who was interested in taking action.

“He’s been a good servant to the city,” Goff said. “He did everything he said he would.”

Connor joined the Sumner City Council in 1991 when the area where he lived was annexed into the city limits. When Connor started to get involved in the process, he noticed that planning codes for the city weren’t tied to the zoning codes in a way that would promote growth in Sumner.

With his interest in growth management, he wanted to see that change, so he ran for city council. Once on board, Connor focused his efforts on helping with long-term planning, including changes to city codes. It took a long time and a lot of work.

“That was a real eye opener,” he said.

Connor, who calls Renton his hometown, wanted to make sure Sumner developed into a real town — working diligently to avoid a strip-mall mentality for the east side of Main Street.

In 1991, there wasn’t a great deal of growth occurring in town, he said. There were empty storefronts downtown and not a lot of interest in filling them up.

Once the new codes were put in place, though, interest was sparked. With a system of rules and regulations that the community had access to, now the intent of planning and development codes could be carried out with the city codes. Downtown Sumner and the area east of it is now a vibrant place.

“It’s a very satisfying feeling,” he said.

During his tenure on the council, Connor also helped develop Sumner’s relationships with county government. He joined the Pierce County Regional Council, which he has served on as president and vice president.

Representing Sumner to county governments was exciting and challenging, he said. It was good to see that Sumner wasn’t overlooked just because it’s a small town.

“This really is a hub,” Connor said. “I’ve been extremely proud to serve the city.”

Connor is leaving the council now because the dynamics and views have changed — and he doesn’t want to be a drag, he said. He would also like to spend more time with his family.

Still, he wants to remain involved somehow.

“The job is never done,” Connor said. “There’s always another challenge. Some way or another I’ll be involved.”

In January, former Arts Commission Chair Cindi Hochstatter will take Connor’s spot. She’ll do great, Connor said.

“It’s challenging but it’s extremely rewarding,” he said.