Three, and possibly four, Mill Creek City Council members announced at Tuesday’s meeting that they intend to run for Mayor when the Council chooses a new one Jan. 3.
Mary Kay Voss, Dale Hensley and current Mayor Pro-tem Donna Michelson confirmed they are interested in the appointed position.
Three-term Mayor Terry Ryan, meanwhile, said he would be interested in a fourth term, unless a possible career switch means he will not have the time to do the job. Ryan said he won’t know about the switch until early January.
Before the Council members made their announcements, Ryan read from a list of mayoral duties that he compiled. Among those duties are leading Council meetings and representing the city at various functions. The Mayor has no direct control in the day-to-day operations of the city. The Mayor Pro-tem performs those duties in the Mayor’s absence.
When asked of their interest in either the Mayor or Mayor Pro-tem position, Voss said she is interested in both jobs and has the time to do either one of them.
Hensley, who said he will not run for re-election when his current term expires in two years, said he would be interested in finishing his Council career by serving as Mayor. Since he is “semi-retired,” he says he has the time to do the job. He is not, however, interested in the Mayor Pro-tem spot.
Mark Bond and Council member-elect Rosemary Bennetts declined to go for either position. Bennetts, who will be sworn in Jan. 3, said she is too new to do either job. Bond, who works full-time as a Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputy and has a young father, also was recently elected to the Snohomish County Charter Commission.
Mike Todd, meanwhile, said he is too new to the Council to consider making a bid for Mayor, but said he would be willing to serve as Mayor Pro-tem. Todd has been on the Council since May.
In order to be considered for either position, a Council member must first be nominated and receive a second from their colleagues. The first person to receive four votes from the seven-person body wins the spot.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
