Marysville city administrator to retire

Published 11:09 pm Tuesday, March 2, 2010

MARYSVILLE — If someone told Mary Swenson more than 32 years ago that she would start and end a career in public service in the same city, she would have told them the idea was crazy.

It’s not so crazy anymore.

Swenson, 52, began working as a secretary for the city when she was 20 years old. On Monday, she announced her plan to retire from her current position as the city administrator.

“The city is in excellent shape,” Swenson said. “Every department without exception is in a good position. I’m ready to move on and this is a good time to retire.”

Before beginning work as the city administrator in 2001, Swenson served as a city clerk and assistant city administrator for 10 years. She was a secretary for the first 10 years of her tenure and worked with each department of what was then a much smaller city.

“I was the secretary for every department back then,” she said. “We probably had 20 to 30 employees at that point. The nice thing about that was it was a lot less complicated. You knew everybody, you knew their families, and decisions could be made relatively quickly because you were small.”

Swenson announced her retirement in a news release Monday. Hours later, at the Marysville City Council meeting, Mayor Dennis Kendall appointed — and the City Council unanimously confirmed — community development director Gloria Hirashima as the new city administrator.

A candidate for the city administrator position does not need to be approved by the public and is chosen based on an appointment by the mayor and confirmation by the City Council, according to Kendall.

As the city administrator, Swenson was responsible for handling a wide variety of issues such as dealing with labor unions, building relationships with neighboring communities including the Tulalip Tribes and working with elected officials.

The position was intense, with lots of day-to-day responsibility, she added, but it wasn’t without its rewards.

For one thing, she has enjoyed seeing the city grow and new businesses open their doors throughout her tenure. Staying with the city through the completion of an annexation that made Marysville the second-largest city in Snohomish County in December was important to her, she said.

Swenson’s last day with the city is March 17. She said she’s confident Hirashimais ready to begin her new role.

“Gloria is an extremely talented woman,” Swenson said. “She has a great rapport with the employees. I believe she will do an absolutely fantastic job.”

Swenson will be missed by those who worked with her.

“It’s sad to see her retirement day come so soon, but she has more than earned it,” said Doug Buell, public information officer. “We’ll miss her and the enthusiasm, great sense of humor and professionalism that she brought to the job every day.”

Kendall said Swenson has been a very qualified, very dedicated employee.

“For me, she’s been a great teacher and comrade and someone who had helped me down the road,” he said.

The city has contracted with a search firm to fill the community development director position, he added, and expects to finalize a decision in the next 45 to 60 days.

Swenson said she will miss the people she has worked with but is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, Allen, and other members of her family.

“I leave this place in very good hands and I have no doubt in my mind that this city will continue to move in a positive direction,” she said.

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491, adaybert@heraldnet.com.