Bonney Lake City Council Considers At-Large Representation

While Bonney Lake , it has been guided by representatives from five neighborhoods across the city. Currently, five of the seven council members are elected through their particular district, while two are elected to serve the community as a whole.

Throughout the month of February, the City Council has debated making all elected seats at-large, which would mean that a Bonney Lake resident could vote for every position, rather than choosing one candidate to represent their neighborhood.

The idea was up for discussion at the Feb. 22 city council meeting but they tabled the issue; the council is seeking public input on whether to make the issue a council action item, or put it on the agenda for an upcoming public hearing.

Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman, who has been elected both in ward and at-large seats, supports the move.

“I think everybody should be able to vote for every councilmember,” he said at the Feb. 8 council meeting.

After every national census, the city has to realign the wards based on the changing demographics, which can be time-consuming and expensive every 10 years. If all positions become at-large, it’s an extra way that the city can save money in the long term.

Maintaining a ward system also means that a small amount of voters elect the council. Swatman noted in the Feb. 8 meeting that traditionally only about 20 percent of the city’s population vote in each ward, which means a small minority of citizens elect officials who make decisions that matter to everyone in the city.

Swatman continued to say that opening up the seats to a city-wide vote prevents single-issue candidates and encourages the councilmembers to view the city holistically, not in segments.

At the Feb. 22 council meeting, former councilmember Phil DeLeo spoke in opposition to the switch during public comments. He said that a majority of calls he received while in office came from within his ward. DeLeo also argued that the geological differences of the region created different concerns across the city; he expressed concern that if the whole council were to go to at-large representation, local problems might get pushed to the side.

Most of the acting council are willing to switch to at-large representation, although Councilmember Dan Decker has expressed doubts throughout the process. Decker encouraged a public vote on the issue but the subject has not yet been put to a public discussion.

Since the issue was tabled at the Feb. 22 council meeting, it will be up for discussion again at the next workshop meeting, scheduled for March 1. The council is interested in public input on this issue. They are watching Patch to see your comments here and you can also submit them to city clerk Woody Edvalson at edvalsonw@ci.bonney-lake.wa.us.