Terry Lee's stewardship recognized by Key Pen associations

Danna Webster, KP News

Pierce County Council member Terry Lee accepts “the key to the Key” from Barbara Trotter, former chair of the Key Peninsula Community Council in appreciation of his eight years of service on behalf of the peninsulas. Photo: Danna Webster, KP News

The Key Peninsula Business Association honored the public service of Councilman Terry Lee at the Nov. 19 meeting. KPBA past-president, Jud Morris, presented Lee with a certificate of appreciation, which featured the quote that “All politics is local.”

Lee was the guest speaker for the occasion and he outlined some accomplishments made for the Key Peninsula over his past eight years in office.

The history was not only for the members of the KPBA but also for the incoming District Councilman Stan Flemming who was present for the meeting. Lee said he took office with the intent to work for the Key Peninsula to get county services that were deserved.

“There was a huge demand for public service and I tried to direct as much as possible to the Key Peninsula,” he said. It was his intent to provide enough well deserved service from Pierce County to at least stop the talk about “the Key Peninsula succeeding from Pierce County to Kitsap.”

One of Lee’s first targets for change was the fact that Key Pen had no Sheriff’s deputies on duty between the hours of 3 and 7 a.m. The Key Peninsula and Gig Harbor now have 18 deputies who provide 24/7 coverage. He said he worked hard to have the Sheriff’s dispatch office established in Purdy and has continued to work to get the county road shop built on the Key Peninsula. “The road shop is designed and ready to go,” he said, and cautioned KP residents to be watchdogs over the project. Once the Elk Plain road shop is sold, Key Pen should get the new shop.

“Make sure the money doesn’t get lost,” he said. In his address to KPBA, Lee gave a thorough overview of important issues for Key Pen from the Longbranch wharf demolition to a new interchange for SR-302.

Earlier in November, the Key Peninsula Community Council conducted an appreciation salute for Lee. The KPC directors took turns reciting from a list of over 30 of his accomplishments that benefited the Key Peninsula. The Executive Board presented Lee with “the key to the Key,” a large gold plated key mounted on a plaque. Lee said he was very moved to receive the key to the Key and expressed his appreciation for the recognition from both boards of the KPBA and KPC.