Carnation council swears in for new biennium

New members, leadership appointments.

The Carnation City Council has now sworn in all of its members and appointed its leadership for the 2020-2021 biennium as of Jan. 7.

Kim Lisk, Position 4, was appointed as mayor and Jim Ribail, Position 2, was appointed as deputy mayor.

Dustin Green took the oath of office for Position 5 on Jan. 7, and newcomers Tim Harris, Position 3, and Adair Hawkins, Position 1, were previously sworn in on Dec. 3.

Hawkins said she is excited to be working on city council for the next four years for the betterment of the community. She wants to focus on keeping the town safe and accessible for pedestrians and also maintaining the city’s charm while balancing growth.

“As the mother of four active little boys, my priority is a safe, walkable community. As of now, downtown Carnation has crosswalks that are in disrepair, streets without proper drainage and no place for the middle school kids to cross the busy highway on their way home from school,” she said. “The good news is that all of these problems will be addressed and fixed over the next few years due to the upcoming Tolt Avenue Project. In the main four blocks downtown, utilities will be going underground and new street lights, sidewalks, bike racks and park benches will be installed.”

“Downtown Carnation will be beautiful. I want to be part of these positive changes for the safety of our community,” she said.

She said she will prioritize the town’s visual appearance and charming feel so people traveling on state Highway 203 will want to stop for a bite or a cup of coffee, bringing in more revenue.

“I love the idea of making a welcoming and friendly place where our neighbors want to get out of their homes and visit with one another,” she said. “Looking forward to the future, I plan on being a part of making a central business district where small, local business can thrive and increasing our city’s walkability.”