SNOHOMISH — Both women on the City Council will continue at the helm as mayor and mayor pro-tem. And the mayor could have more clout after the November election, if one resident has his way.
The seven-member council on Tuesday unanimously re-elected Karen Guzak to a fourth two-year term as mayor. Lynn Schilaty won a fourth term as mayor pro-tem, beating Councilman Michael Rohrscheib by one vote.
The city is among five towns in Snohomish County that have a strong city manager or council-manager government. Generally, that means the city manager handles business as the chief executive officer, while the council sets policy.
Snohomish native Bill Betten wants to see that change.
The truck driver is drumming up support for shifting to a strong mayor or mayor-council government. That would allow voters to elect a mayor to carry out council policies with help from a hired manager. Under that scenario, the mayor would preside over council meetings but not vote, except to break a tie.
Betten said he wants to see an elected mayor answer to voters. The council has failed to hold City Manager Larry Bauman accountable, he said.
Among the reasons for his dissatisfaction with Bauman, Betten cited the city’s 2013 attempt to charge homeowners thousands of dollars in building fees it failed to collect and an abandoned 2015 plan to put a cell tower in Averill Park.
“If he has problems with my performance, that’s one thing,” said Bauman, city manager since 2002. “I don’t think that’s a reason to change the form of government.”
Snohomish switched its government in the 1970s from a strong mayor to a strong city manager, a structure which first appeared in the early 1900s in response to concern about political corruption across the country.
“I see this form of government as being a better balance of administrative and political authority,” Bauman said.
Snohomish joins Mill Creek, Bothell, Mountlake Terrace and Granite Falls in having strong city managers. Most of Washington’s 281 cities, including more than a dozen across the county, have a strong mayor government, according to the nonprofit Municipal Research and Service Center.
Betten plans to gather signatures on a petition that supports change after elections officials finish reviewing it.
County Elections Manager Garth Fell said the signatures of at least 218 registered Snohomish voters are needed to get the measure on the November ballot. That’s 10 percent of those who voted in the last election.
Betten has scheduled a meeting to discuss the switch from 3 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 23 at the Snohomish Library.
“I think it’s a really bad idea,” Guzak said.
If the city were to switch to a strong mayor, it would take at least four years to vote a failing elected official out, she said. Recalling a mayor can also be difficult.
Under the current system, the council evaluates the city manager’s performance every year. If it’s not up to par, they can get rid of the employee and hire someone else.
Guzak said she’s happy with Bauman’s performance. During her new term as mayor, she wants to improve government transparency, find a new use for the Hal Moe Pool building, reduce sewer and water rates, upgrade the sewer treatment plant, finish transportation projects and look into switching to a one-source water system.
“I’m hoping to be a positive force for the city,” Guzak said.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports
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