Eight people are in the running to be Enumclaw’s newest City Council member.
With Mayor Anthony Wright having officially taken the helm, his council seat was left vacant; the city put out a call for applications on Dec. 1, with a Dec. 29 deadline.
The city council will soon interview each candidate and, if other past appointments are any indication, likely choose a person that night.
The interview date is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 26, and promises a long council meeting as each candidate is asked a series of identical questions one by one.
Also new to the council this year are Council members Sabrina Solmonsen-Waterhouse, Brodie Smith, and Ed Storton — meaning four of the seven seats will be filled by first-termers.
Here who has applied for the vacant seat, in order of how applications were sent to the Courier-Herald.
TREVOR GILTHVEDT
Gilthvedt has lived in the city for nearly three decades, and his wife was born locally.
He has a background in construction, both as an employee and also as a business owner that has done federal and city work — including the demolition of the old Enumclaw skate park at Dwight Garrett Park in 2022 and the construction of the new structure in 2023.
Gilthvedt is also a current member of the park board, which provides guidance, direction, and recommendations about park facilities, the community center, and recreational programs to the city and council.
“I greatly value this community and want to do everything within my means to contribute to making and keeping this city a wonderful place to live and grow a family,” he wrote in his letter of interest. “… I have a unique standpoint of understanding the inner workings of not only growth of a city but the impact on its infrastructure. I would like to be involved in helping grow this city in a way it can be properly maintained for future generations.”
BREANNA HOTT
Hott, a graduate of the Keller Graduate School of Management with a Masters of Business Administration, has lived in the area for a decade years.
“I am committed to serving our community and contributing to thoughtful, responsible decision-making on behalf of Enumclaw residents,” she wrote in her interest letter. “I believe my experience, dedication, and interest in local governance would allow me to be an effective and engaged member of the City Council.”
She’s worked at various businesses around town — she ran her own business for three years, and then worked as a controller and bookkeeper afterward.
But she’s more likely known around the city as the Enumclaw School Foundations president and the Sunrise Elementary Parent Teacher Association.
Hott recently lost the election for a different council seat against Storton last November.
JULIE HOLBROOK
Holbrook may be the most knowledgeable candidate of the inner-workings of a city, having been a member of Enumclaw’s Design Review Board, is a current member of the Human Services Advisory Board, is currently the city’s Planning Commissioner.
“For the past [four] years, I have lived in Enumclaw and have been actively involved in the support of our city. During that time, I have witnessed both the remarkable people and the challenges we face together — whether it is responsible growth while preserving neighborhood and city character, fiscal sustainability in the face of rising costs or providing affordable housing and expanding transportation options,” she wrote in her letter of interest. “… I would be honored to bring my commitment, integrity, and perspective to the City Council.”
Holbrook also highlights other previous council-esque experiences like being an HOA president and treasurer and board member of the Covington Chamber of Commerce.
ALLIE GRAMPA
Grampa said her experience as a senior software engineer would give the council a “fresh perspective” and the “technical discipline” to serve residents effectively.
“In reviewing our current city code, there are many strengths but it also contains contradictions and ambiguities that make it difficult to effectively enforce,” she wrote in her interest letter. “… A common concern I’ve heard from residents is that the code lacks clear design standard that maintain the look and feel of our small town, often leaving project approvals to subjective judgement rather than objective criteria. I intend to bring my professional experience to the Council, driving improvements that eliminate contradictions and replace vague language with clear, specific standards that everyone can understand.”
She also touted her four years of experience on her undergraduate school’s student senate and time as the elected student body president.
MICHAEL SUTHERLAND
Sutherland moved to Enumclaw in 2014, although he said that he had memories of the city dating back more than four decades.
Some of those memories include when he worked in the King County Sheriff’s Department Precinct 3 in Maple Valley and when he patrolled unincorporated King County in the local area.
“Based on my familiarity with Enumclaw and King County I believe I bring a lot of experience and understanding of the unique problems that Enumclaw faces in the current environment,” he wrote in his interest letter. “… Although I may be retired after 30 years of serving my community, it has not taken away my desire to continue serving my community which is why I am interested in this position now.”
JOHANNA KIRK
Like Holbrook, Kirk appears to already have working knowledge of how municipalities work, though not locally.
For two years, she was the director of communications and marketing with the city of Mill Creek, and served as the acting city manager when necessary.
Kirk also has extensive experience working in the public sector in several other roles, which “has given me broad exposure to the expectations of such a public entity,” she wrote in her interest letter. “My work for another jurisdiction in Washington State has uniquely prepared me for this Council role, in terms of political processes, policies and procedures, laws, regulations and more.”
Kirk moved to Enumclaw in 2022, and is a co-pastor with her husband at the Enumclaw Nazarene Church.
TIFFEN ESHPETER
Eshpeter is high up in the ranks at the International Association of BBBs (Better Business Bureaus) — currently, she’s the director of client services, performance, and excellence, but she was also the chief operating officer at the Austin, Texas BBB for a decade before her current role.
Eshpeter is Enumclaw born-and-raised and is a fourth-generation resident.
“My desire to serve on the Enumclaw City Council is grounded in a genuine commitment to this community’s future. I care deeply about preserving Enumclaw’s small-town character while supporting responsible growth, economic vitality, and transparent governance,” she wrote in his interest letter. “I believe my leadership experience, combined with my personal investment in Enumclaw, would allow me to contribute meaningfully to council discussions and decision-making.”
AMBER STANLEY
Stanley has moved her way up from working with cities to becoming a Washington State Department of Transportation principal planner.
She’s worked with the city of Bonney Lake to promote its downtown events like concerts, farmer’s markets, and other recreational activities, and with the nonprofit Tacoma On The Go’s livability and transportation programs.
After that, she advanced through Pierce Transit’s Planning and Community Development roles until she landed with WSDOT.
Stanley is also on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Trek Foundation.
“Throughout my professional journey, I have demonstrated a strong commitment to strategic planning, policy implementation, and transparent public communication,” she wrote in her interest letter. “… Enumclaw’s future matters deeply to me, and I am committed to supporting thoughtful, sustainable growth that maintains our city’s unique small-town character, enhancing safe and connected public spaces, promoting transparency, and expanding opportunities for residents to participate in decisions that shape our community.”
