MONROE — Mitch Ruth said he has "no true political ambitions."
"I do care about the community, but not titles," Ruth, 46, said after the City Council selected him as an interim council member, citing his record of community service as a reason.
Ruth’s appointment expires at the general election in November. But he said he plans to run for the council this fall.
Ruth, manager of a real estate business his family owns in town, has volunteered on the city’s Parks and Recreation board. He also served as president of the Highland Water District.
Ruth has lived in Monroe for 25 years and raised four children. The community has always been great, he said. "I want to make sure this community is the same for my kids as it was for me."
Ruth said he wants the city to plan well for growth and to invite "clean businesses" such as retailers rather than manufacturers. "Growth is unavoidable," he said.
Ruth was among seven people who applied for the vacancy created when Jim Hunnicutt resigned after the council amended its ethics ordinance, which he said weakened the law.
"I expect (Ruth) to be honest and upfront and listen to what the people want," Hunnicutt said.
Afterwards, the three remaining ethics board members resigned because of the council’s flip-flop on the law.
The council had disputed over the section regarding interest and appearance of fairness and amended the ordinance four times since it was drafted in late 2000.
The current law allows city’s business contractors to sit on its advisory boards as long as they disclose their conflicts of interest with the city and stay out of the process in such cases.
Ruth said he would’ve voted against the amendment in January, as Hunnicutt did.
"It should’ve stayed the course until there was a compelling reason to revisit it," he said, adding the flip-flop could negatively affect public perception of city government.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or
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