Snoqualmie city administrator Bob Larson will be leaving Snoqualmie. He will join the city of Gig Harbor staff as its new city administrator in January, according to a Nov. 19 announcement from Gig Harbor Mayor Kit Kuhn.
On the city of Gig Harbor’s website, the Mayor’s note welcomes Larson aboard.
“I am happy to announce that our city council has approved the contract for our new city administrator, Bob Larson,” Kuhn wrote. “We are excited and eagerly anticipating welcoming Bob to our team, who will officially start on Jan. 6, 2020. Bob is presently and has been the city administrator of Snoqualmie for approximately 15 years. He comes to us with over 20 years of city manager/city administrator experience in both Washington and Minnesota. We are excited to welcome Bob who will come support our council, staff, community and myself as we move towards fulfilling the needs of our city. I have spent many hours with Bob getting to know him. He is supportive of our vision and mission and is eager to start a new chapter of his life with our city.”
Gig Harbor Mayor Kit Kuhn told the Record he is looking forward to Larson taking on the new role.
“I’m very excited to be able to make the offer to Bob Larson, I spent many hours with him and he was our finalist,” Kuhn told the Record. “I’m really excited that our city is going to be able to have his expertise.”
He explained that he wanted Larson to be able to give advanced notice to the city of Snoqualmie, ahead of his Jan. 6 Gig Harbor start date. There was a special Gig Harbor city council work session on Nov. 18 to go over the contract.
“My goal was to be able to have him give the time he needs to Snoqualmie. It would be the same thing that I would hope that someone would give to us,” he said.
“It’s a different county. This is the next chapter in his life,” Kuhn added. “He’s excited about our city, and it’s a beautiful city, and we are thrilled to have him.”
The city of Snoqualmie put out a press release the afternoon of Nov. 20 announcing Larson will resign in January.
“We are thankful for Bob’s many contributions to Snoqualmie and excited for his opportunity in Gig Harbor,” Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson said in the release. “He has seen Snoqualmie through tremendous growth in population and economic health, streamlining our city departments and business systems, and elevating the city’s customer service to residents and business owners. Bob has done an exceptional job serving the citizens of Snoqualmie and leaves an extraordinary legacy of which he should be very proud. He will be sorely missed.”
Bob Larson, in the release, said, “It has been a privilege to have served as city administrator in Snoqualmie for more than 15 years, helping to establish a premier city. I have greatly appreciated my partnership with Mayor Larson and current and former city council members. I have especially enjoyed the opportunity to work with the city’s talented department directors and all of its dedicated employees.”
“I owe a debt of gratitude to former Mayor Fuzzy Fletcher for hiring me and allowing me to continue my career in city management while I moved from Minnesota,” he added. “I’m also thankful to the Snoqualmie community for embracing my family as we raised our children.”
No determination has been made on an interim city administrator for the city of Snoqualmie.
See the note on Gig Harbor’s website online (https://www.cityofgigharbor.net/blog.aspx?iid=47).
