Mill Creek City Council needs more diversity

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Jared Mead, a current Mill Creek City council member, was recently elected to a 44th Legislative District House seat. He will be vacating his seat on the council in January. Instead of a city-wide election for a new council member to replace Mead, the City Council will once again be appointing another member of its choice. If the past is any indication, the next council member will be male, over 50, and white. This member will join the other five members who are male, over 50, and white.

Late in 2017, there were 14 applicants for the council position. Of the 14, four were women. The successful applicant and the first runner-up were both men over 60. Without diversity on the council, there is little representation. Another area of concern is that all seven current members are concentrated within the northeast corner of the city off 35th Avenue and the Mill Creek Community Association. Council districts for our city for equal representation would help remedy this issue. In the meantime, the council should consider every qualified applicant and give greater weight to those in society who are capable of representing the city as well; those who are female, under 50, and someone with ethnic diversity beyond white.

Glenda Tecklenburg

Mill Creek