Politics are in the air as Maple Valley Councilmembers prepare for the upcoming
elections. One position, however, has never been found on the City of Maple Valley
ballot, and that is – Mayor.
As stunning a revelation as that might be to a number of City voting citizens, it
is still true. Take for instance Mary Simpson, a citizen of Maple Valley, who wrote
a Letter to the Editor that appeared in the August 30, 2011, edition of the VOICE
of the Valley on page 6. Showing her displeasure with Mayor Noel Gerken and his
recent handling of an issue with King County by jeopardizing “our advisory seat
with the county by writing a self serving letter…”, Simpson went on later in the
letter to write, “You ran for mayor in order to represent the population of the
city.”
Yet another instance comes to light through City of Maple Valley candidate Karen
Crowe, who decided to challenge Gerken for his Council seat in the upcoming November
8, 2011, election. Shortly after making the decision to challenge Gerken, Crowe
began reaching out to the community. To her amazement, many of the citizens she
was in contact with did not realize that Gerken was merely a Councilmember who was
enjoying the title of “Mayor” appointed to him by a majority of his fellow Councilmembers
in January 2010.
This type of government for the City was chosen during the incorporation work in
1997 by citizens within the newly proposed city boundaries. At that time, citizens
voted to have a Council/Manager type of government rather than Mayor/Council type
of government. The type mirrors the form of government set up by the Tahoma School
District, which had been working well for this area.
In the Council/Manager type of government, the Council sets policies brought before
them and the City Manager is the chief operator running City business and implements
Council policies. The position of “Mayor” (as well as deputy mayor) in this type
of government has limited duties – running the meetings, serving as the voice of
the council and participating in ceremonial duties. The mayor cannot do anything
without direction from a majority of the Council in an open meeting. The position
of mayor is elected every two years by Councilmembers following the general election
where citizens are only able to vote for the Councilmembers.
On the other hand, in a Strong Mayor type of government, the Mayor is elected by
the City’s citizens. In this type of government, the mayor is the chief operating
officer who can write letters, negotiate, and implement the policy decisions set
by the Council.
So when Gerken recently wrote the letter referred to by Simpson and submitted it
to local media mid-afternoon on August 1 without vetting it through the Council
as a whole first, technically, he stepped outside of his duties as Mayor as prescribed
by the type of government currently set up in the City. He also did not run for
mayor to represent the population; he was only appointed as “Mayor” to be the voice
of the Council.
