Politics & Government
Woodinville Council Considers How To Oust Mayor, Deputy Mayor
Tuesday's City Council agenda includes a resolution for a process to remove a mayor and deputy mayor before the end of their appointments.
Woodinville’s mayor and deputy mayor face the possibility of being pushed out of their appointed positions under a resolution in front of the City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting.
In a report to the council, City Manager Richard Leahy laid out the options the council plans to consider at the July 16 session. Also on Tuesday’s agenda: amending the city’s Code of Ethics to bar councilmembers from engaging in “electronic workplace cyber-bullying.”
It wasn’t immediately clear Monday what impact the resolution, if approved, would have on current Mayor Bernie Talmas or Deputy Mayor Liz Aspen. Talmas’ term on the council expires at the end of the year, and he’s running for re-election. Aspen’s term expires at the end of 2015.
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The council appoints a mayor and deputy mayor for two-year cycles in January of even-numbered years. Under the proposal, the council could remove a mayor or deputy mayor sooner by a majority vote, or a majority-plus-one vote—depending on what the council decides.
How council members interact with each other, the public and the media has also apparently been an issue, according to Leahy’s report, which summarized recent council actions.
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On July 2, the council:
“Directed staff to prepare an amendment to the Code of Ethics to require councilmembers to exercise proper decorum and not to engage in electronic workplace cyber-bullying.
“Directed staff to prepare an amendment to the Code of Ethics to make factually inaccurate communications by councilmembers, a violation of the Code of Ethics.”
Any changes to the Ethics Code must be made by City Council ordinance.
“Prior to preparing that Ordinance, the City Attorney requests an Executive Session to discuss these proposed changes,” Leahy’s report said.
The council meets at 7 p.m. in council chambers at Woodinville City Hall, 17301 133rd Ave. N.E. An executive session, which is closed to the public, is listed at the end of the meeting agenda.
You can read the full City Council meeting agenda here.
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