by MATTHEW NASH
Sequim Gazette
From black and white and green to bright and circular, the City of Sequim has a new logo.
City councilors at their May 9 meeting, voted 5-1, with Don Hall dissenting, and Susan Lorenzen absent, to replace the existing 36-year old logo. The new logo will go on the city’s website, tourism brochures, signs and memorabilia. It will be used for the city with “The City of Sequim” written below and in tourism outreach as “Sequim, Washington.”
Barbara Hanna, communications and marketing manager, said the new logo’s gold bar represents the sun, the blue wave the water, the top green arch the hills and mountains, and the grain/lavender sprig Sequim’s agricultural heritage.
A committee of Hanna, Mayor Ken Hays, Mayor Pro-tem Laura Dubois and Rusty George Creative from Tacoma narrowed the logo possibilities from seven to three for the council to consider.
Councilors Ted Miller and Don Hall and resident Mike East spoke in favor of keeping the original logo but modernizing it. Hall said he surveyed people at the May 7 Merchant’s Fair and most preferred the existing one.
“The new ones they couldn’t figure them out,” Hall said. “You people mention it’s the sun and the clouds and it’s this and that. Most of the people can’t see what you are talking about. I’m very disappointed.”
Hays said the new logo identifies more of the City of Sequim.
“The current logo is what we see all around us,” Hays said.
“Sequim is a sunny prairie. We have water running through it. In time, people will make a connection (with the new logo).”
Miller eventually sided with the majority but said 98 percent of the people of Sequim couldn’t care less about what the logo is but the 2 percent who do care, care very much.
“They are the ones who should dictate what the new logo should be,” he said.
The city only received two formal phone calls and two e-mails about the logo, Hanna said. Residents either wanted to keep the existing logo or open designing the logo to locals.
Research
Sequim’s three proposed logos took themes and concepts from 153 people who participated in a survey about Sequim. The logo committee found Washington city logos mostly had mountains, fir trees and nautical elements similar to Sequim’s existing logo.
“Our logo fit right in there with the rest of the crowd,” Dubois said. “I think this concept will be much more attractive and quickly identifiable and unique.”
Hays said the logo wasn’t opened to the public for designing because he felt it was more than crafting a piece of artwork.
