Title
Special Recognition - Honoring the Advisory Board Service of Jane Laclergue and Dwayne Harkness
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Recognize Jane Laclergue and Dwayne Harkness for their long service and commitment as citizen volunteers on City advisory committees.
Report
Issue:
Whether to recognize Jane Laclergue and Dwayne Harkness for their long service and commitment. Ms. Laclergue served on the Design Review Board for 15 years, from 2004 to 2019. Mr. Harkness was appointed to the Heritage Commission in May 2005 and served for 14 years.
Staff Contact:
Tim Smith, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3915;
Marygrace Goddu, Historic Preservation Officer, 360.753.8031
Presenter(s):
Tim Smith, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development
Marygrace Goddu, Historic Preservation Officer
Background and Analysis:
Ms. Laclergue has a deep appreciation for how the Design Review Board has progressed over the years. The quality of work presented to the Board has moved from hand drawings to detailed computer renditions. Notable projects before the Board during Ms. Laclergue’s tenure include the 512 Jefferson Apartments, Red Leaf Townhomes on Fones Road, and Annie’s Flats on 5th Avenue downtown.
Ms. Laclergue is also proud of the Board’s work on the Lowe’s Home Improvement store and the Olympia Farmers Market. The mural on the east wall of the Lowe’s building facing Kacey Keller Drive was the outcome of discussions between Board and applicant on the design treatment for the large wall. For the Farmers Market, the Board worked retain the metal roof in the design for the building. The Board believed the roof gave the building some character and reinforced the look of a barn. The roof highlights the image the public can view when approaching the market on Capitol Way.
Dwayne Harkness joined the Heritage Commission shortly after successful completion of the renovation of the State Capitol Building, for which he served as the state’s lead architect. Mr. Harkness brought to the Commission a wealth of knowledge and experience in making tough decisions balancing historic preservation with functional requirements. He put that experience to work for the City, serving on the Historic Review Committee through his entire tenure, reviewing proposed alterations to historic properties and working directly with property owners to find win-win solutions to meet their needs while honoring their home’s historic character and community value.
Two significant Commission accomplishments during his service give him great satisfaction: 1) the City’s adoption of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties, which set clear standards and support objective decision-making; and 2) strong integration of historic preservation goals and principles into the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
Both Ms. Laclergue and Mr. Harkness’s personal contributions have been significant, and will be greatly missed. They thoroughly enjoyed, practiced, and encouraged active listening, full participation, the sharing of diverse opinions, and creative thinking. They often brought a calm voice to impassioned debates, reminded us of the need for clear, objective, and reasoned arguments, and were always mindful of their respective committee’s role to serve the whole community.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
None known
Options:
N/A
Financial Impact:
N/A
Attachments:
None