Catching Up with BLAIR KING

BY ISABELLE HAINES PHOTOS BY ANNIE GRAEBNER

During his decades-long career in local government, Blair King has lived and worked in coastal cities, such as Half Moon Bay, Coronado, Eureka and Imperial Beach, in California. These days, you can find him at Bainbridge Island City Hall, where he serves as city manager.

While important, city manager isn’t a job most kids know about. When you were 10 years old, what was your dream job?

When I was 10 years old, I lived on a cattle and apple ranch, and anything that got me away from there was my dream job. During my college years, I had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C.—before that I was an agricultural economics major—and I got interested in government. Being involved in local government, working for cities, being so close to the public, that’s what really interested me, and so that’s what set me on my career path.

What defined your first year as city manager of Bainbridge Island?

On one hand it was familiar. Some of the mechanics of a municipal corporation—that’s what Bainbridge Island is—are the same from place to place. For example, accounting standards that are basically the same. On the other hand, Bainbridge Island is a very unique kind of city. The semi-rural nature of the city is different. It’s only been incorporated as an island city for about 30 years, so it’s relatively new—basically one generation old. Just the process of getting to know the community during COVID was much more difficult than normal circumstances. I will say I learned something new every day.

Have you been swept up in the pickleball craze?

So, I have played pickleball, but I also like all kinds of athletic endeavors, whether that be ax-throwing, cornhole or pickleball. Professionally, I have had several hours of my life consumed with conflict with tennis and pickleball. In fact, in the last city that I was the manager of, the conflict was so intense that the city council passed an ordinance that prohibited playing pickleball on tennis courts.

What is a person, thing or experience that has inspired you?

I am a naturalized citizen—I came to the United States as a toddler, and I’ve had great opportunities growing up here. As a young adult, I went back to an orphanage that I lived in, and I met some people that were still at the orphanage who were there at the same time I was. I had a lifetime of opportunity in front of me, while these people that were my age had very limited opportunities. That has inspired me to appreciate what I have and what I’ve been given, and to contribute and give back to reflect for what those people did not have.

What is something about you that people can’t find out from the Internet?

My dad was an old rancher, and so when I got to high school, I had no curfew, I had no rules. I just had to be home to milk his cows— there were five—twice a day. And there was no milking machine, I had to milk them by hand.