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Editorial: Councilmember Deal’s era comes to a close

After 20 years on Puyallup City Council, Mike Deal is leaving. He attended his last council meeting last night.

During his tenure, Deal has been instrumental in the construction of the Puyallup City Hall, the new library, the activity center and the Pioneer Park Pavilion. He has helped plan street widening projects and welcomed new businesses into the community.

But, his time on council has come with some controversy, particularly in more recent years. Some constituents have accused him of voting strictly with the majority and others say 20 years is far too long to spend on council.

Deal’s record, though, shows that he has often been the swing vote on council. When the council was determining who should fill Councilmember Kathy Turner’s vacated seat two years ago, they were split between two candidates. Just when it looked like no one would budge, Deal changed his vote to appoint Rick Hansen on Puyallup City Council.

Despite complaints about his multiple terms, Deal has rarely been contested when running for office. With a new council coming into place in January, it’s possible that he’ll be part of a dying breed — council members with decades of experience may become a thing of the past.

Though Deal has talked for some time about retiring after this year, it’s hard to believe that the contentious nature of the current council didn’t contribute to his decision. Debate can be healthy for any group but when it becomes so negative that people would prefer not to participate, it is a disservice to the community.

New blood will be good for the council and Puyallup. There’s no question that Deal has made wonderful contributions to the city but it’s good to give others a chance to invest their energy as well.

So, after two decades of service, we bid Deal farewell and good luck in his future ventures.