For a moment, let’s set aside the different opinions about the future of Sounder parking. Let’s disregard the debate about building a bandstand in Pioneer Park. Instead, let’s concentrate on the obligations of a city council member.
They are vital members of the community, people who stepped forward in service. They open themselves up for inquisitions, scrutiny and criticism. It can be a thankless job.
As council members, they determine the budget, they set policy, they subscribe to an open door policy. Mostly, though, they have an obligation to vote on behalf of the community they serve.
Sometimes that means they are all in agreement, but not always. Just look at Puyallup’s 4-3 voting record on big ticket items, like hiring the city manager, addressing downtown parking and building a bandstand.
By joining the city council, members understand they are expected to stand united on topics even if they disagree, but that doesn’t mean they must abandon their opinions. It doesn’t even oblige a council member to quit pursuing them. Sometimes they acquire new information that could change opinions and other times it doesn’t have any effect at all. But, either way more knowledge and fresh ideas are always useful.
However, at last week’s city council meeting, the majority scolded Puyallup City Council members Rick Hansen, John Knutsen and George Dill for not clearly stating the council’s official opinion on Sounder parking when they met with council members from Sumner and several other cities. Twice the city council has decided in a 4-3 vote not to address Sounder parking this year.
According to city policy, council members have the right to their own opinions and are allowed to discuss those opinions, but are required to state the majority’s stance at some point during that conversation when appearing on behalf of the city. If council members were trying to negotiate a deal, the policy would be understandable, but this group was simply discussing possibilities that perhaps would never have seen the light of day.
It’s a gray area when a council members is meeting “on behalf of the city” and just having a private conversation on behalf of no one other than his or herself. It’s hard to imagine that every time a council member has lunch with someone that the conversation must begin with a run-down of where the council stands.
Sumner City Councilmember Matt Richardson, whose e-mails were read at Puyallup’s council meeting, said the group wanted to keep the meetings hush-hush so there was no confusion that they are minority members.
It’s a slippery slope when dissenters are publicly criticized from going against the grain. What they discussed is irrelevant. We should applaud council members who continue to explore solutions to our community’s problems.
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