Kendall leaves city stronger

He’ll resign as mayor with 17 months left in his second term, but Dennis Kendall won’t be shortchanging the citizens of Marysville. He has packed more than two full terms’ worth of service into 6 1/2 years, and will leave a stronger city than the one he inherited.

Kendall announced on Monday that he’ll leave his post Aug. 2. He didn’t cite a specific reason, although at age 67, with a few health concerns and the recent death of a brother, he can be forgiven for wanting to get on with retirement.

From the city’s standpoint, it’s an opportune time for such a change. The recent annexation of 20,000 residents, making Marysville the second-largest city in Snohomish County, capped a series of Kendall-led projects that have positioned the city to prosper well into the future.

Among them:

The city and the neighboring Tulalip Tribes have turned from adversaries on many issues into partners on most. Their governments communicate routinely, working from a foundation of mutual respect and trust. Both sides understand that by healing old wounds and working together on economic development, transportation, environmental and other issues, they can accomplish much more for their people than they can separately.

Kendall expanded the city’s tax base by drawing major retailers to new commercial developments. Kendall and his forward-thinking staff, led by former chief administrative officer Mary Swenson, did it in part by helping businesses navigate the permitting process. They didn’t cut corners, but their service-oriented approach, which ensured fairness and predictability, established a business-friendly reputation that should continue to pay off as the economy recovers.

Public safety has kept pace with the city’s growth. Cost-effective moves, like consolidating dispatch services into the multi-jurisdictional SNOPAC, helped make that possible.

Kendall accomplished this and more by bringing a sophisticated approach to the job, but also through the force of his own positive nature. He came to office with little political experience, but his years in private-sector sales made him an effective promoter for the city, and he used his organizational background and can-do attitude to support his capable staff rather than micro-managing it.

City Council member Jon Nehring, who was appointed by his colleagues Monday to complete the balance of Kendall’s term, would be wise to emulate much of that leadership style, and to embrace the principles of cooperation and good sense that have guided Kendall as mayor.

His successes are the city’s successes. For Marysville, Dennis Kendall was the right mayor at the right time.