MARYSVILLE — A veteran Marysville City Council member has departed and the search is on to find a successor.
Jeffrey Vaughan, who won a fifth term last fall, resigned June 15. He and his wife relocated to Texas after she received a job promotion.
“It wasn’t on the radar screen until recently,” Vaughan said this week from his home in McKinney, a suburb of Dallas. “I loved being on the City Council. I loved serving my community. I’m just going to miss Marysville.”
Vaughan was appointed to the council in 2003. Voters elected him to a four-year term in 2005 and re-elected him four times, the most recent in November when he garnered 59% of the vote.
“I never really imagined I was city council material but I ended up on the council,” said Vaughan, 54. “These last 20 years there has been tremendous change and I’ve been a part of it. I will miss it terribly.”
In his tenure, Marysville added people, businesses, homes and traffic, emerging as one of Snohomish County’s fastest-growing cities.
Vaughan, a fiscal conservative, pushed policies to create local jobs and revitalize downtown. He figured a strong local economy would generate enough tax revenue to fund city services and build roads, parks and other required public works infrastructure without hiking the local property tax rate.
“I made a commitment that I would do everything I can to keep our property tax as low as possible,” he said. The council raised the tax only once in his time as a council member — and he voted against it.
Public safety was another focal point. Vaughan said he was proud the city invested in its police officers and a new Civic Center that will contain a new jail and court facilities.
Mayor Jon Nehring described Vaughan as a good friend. The two served together on the council before Nehring became the city’s chief executive.
“He had a great career of service. He was always looking through the lens of how decisions would affect the people in the community,” Nehring said. “It was tough on him to leave because he’s treasured his ability to serve the community through his work on the council.”
The City Council will appoint someone to fill the vacancy in Position 1. That person will serve until Dec. 31, 2023.
Next year, the seat will be on the ballot in November. Whoever is elected will complete the remainder of Vaughan’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2025.
Online applications for the appointment are due by 5 p.m. July 7. They can be submitted in paper as well. They should be turned in at Marysville City Hall, 1049 State Ave., from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding the July 4 holiday.
On July 11, candidates will get a chance to meet informally with council members 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Then, during the regular council meeting starting at 7 p.m., each candidate can address the council.
The City Council will interview candidates and intends to make an appointment in its meeting July 25.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dospueblos.
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