City of Bonney Lake - Governance

Elections Information

Upcoming Elections:
November 3, 2010
General Election

For current election information please visit the Pierce County Auditor Elections Website

Past Elections
Aug. 17, 2010: Primary Election
Feb. 9, 2010: Special Election
Nov. 3, 2009: General Election

Pierce County Elections Archives

ELECTION RESULTS
Available from the Pierce County Auditor's website.

General Information
Bonney Lake is currently organized as a non-charter code city, under the mayor-council form of government. The optional municipal code ('code city'), Title 35A RCW, was devised as an alternative to the existing statutory system of municipal government in Washington. The basic objective of the code was to increase the abilities of cities to cope with complex urban problems by providing broad statutory home rule authority in matters of local concern to all municipalities, regardless of population. Cities operating under the optional municipal code are commonly referred to as code cities.

Under the optional municipal code, cities may take any action on matters of local concern so long as that action is neither prohibited by the State Constitution nor in conflict with the general law of the state. The powers granted to code cities include all the powers granted to any other class of city in any existing or future legislative enactment, unless the legislature specifically makes a statute inapplicable to code cities.

The City of Bonney Lake is lead by a publicly‑elected Mayor and a seven‑member City Council, two of whom are elected at-large, and 5 of whom are elected by ward (district). The City Council elects a president, known as the Deputy Mayor. The Bonney Lake Municipal Code (BLMC) Chapter 2.04 contains the City Council’s Rules of Procedure. The Mayor also chairs meetings of the city council, but can only vote in the case of a tie. However, the Mayor is not authorized to make or second motions, nor vote on matters concerning his own pay, franchises/licenses, grants, or resolution involving the payment of funds.

The Mayor is the head of the executive branch of the city government. The position is part-time and currently paid $800 per month. The Mayor is assisted by a full-time professional City Administrator, who administers the day-to-day operations of the City. To learn more about the Mayor see the Mayor’s Page. Click here to view the City's Organizational Chart. Departmental organizational charts are available on each specific department page.

Legislative Branch
The City Council is Bonney Lake's seven-member elected legislature. City-wide Council elections are held every two years. Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms. There is currently no term limits. The City Council elects a Deputy Mayor from among their members. The selected Councilmember serves a two-year term as Deputy Mayor.

Among its primary duties, the City Council makes laws, sets policies, adopts regulations and budgets, levies taxes, controls the finances and property of the City, authorizes public improvement, provides for public safety and health, forms boards, commissions and agencies; and oversees a wide-ranging agenda for the community. Councilmembers are non-partisan (they do not represent political parties) with five of its members representing specific wards in the City. Two are at-large Councilmembers who represent the entire City, thereby providing each citizen with three representatives.

Every even numbered year (bi-annually) in January, the City Council elects one of its members to serve as the Deputy Mayor (Council President). BLMC 04.510 outlines the duties of the Deputy Mayor: “The deputy mayor presides at meetings of the council, administers oaths and signs instruments in the absence of the mayor. When the Deputy Mayor presides over a council meeting he/she shall retain his or her councilmanic vote. In addition to serving in the absence of the mayor, the Deputy Mayor shall serve as Finance Committee chair for the term of office as established for the Deputy Mayor, shall serve as voucher review committee chair, shall be responsible for overseeing council agendas with the City Clerk and the mayor and shall perform any other duties prescribed by the council.”

The City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney acts as the Council’s Parliamentarian.

Most Washington cities have adopted council rules of procedure and they are usually adopted by resolution. However, in Bonney Lake, the council rules have been adopted by ordinance and are codified as BLMC Chapter 2.04. These rules (included as an attachment to this handbook) govern the way the City Council conducts its business, and covers such topics as council meetings, voting, citizen participation, meeting decorum, etc.

The City's business is conducted in an open public forum. Executive sessions, however, are portions of regular or special meetings that may be closed to the public. Only specific topics may be considered in executive session, generally those where public disclosure would harm individual interests or legitimate interests of the City.

The goal of Bonney Lake City Council is to give citizens the opportunity to participate in the process of government and help our community achieve its full potential.

Council Meetings - All Meetings Are Open To The Public
Download our Guide to City Council Meetings

¤ City Council Workshops
The Council meets in Workshop (as a Committee of the Whole) on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. Council Workshop meetings are open to the public. Normally, the Workshop consists only of discussion items, although items could be scheduled for action (voting). No citizen comments are taken at the workshop, except for items scheduled for action. Click here to view upcoming agendas.

¤ City Council Meetings
The City Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. There is a citizen comment period at the beginning of each Council meeting at which citizens can address the council on any matter for a period of up to 5 (five) minutes. Click here to view upcoming agendas.

The Council does not normally meet the 5^th Tuesday of the month, but may on occasion schedule that date to meet in a joint session with one of the City’s advisory boards.

Links to other Council related pages

¤ City Councilmembers

¤ City Council Action pages (includes agendas, audio, minutes, ordinances and resolutions)

¤ Public Hearings and Legal Notices

Council Committees
View the Council Sub-Committees page

There are three (3) standing committees of the City Council: Finance, Public Safety, and Community Development. Each council standing committee schedules at least 12 meetings per year. Council committee members are to notify the committee chair of planned absences at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting and the chair of the committee may contact the deputy mayor or any other councilmember to serve in their absence.

Committee membership is determined by the council biennially on even numbered years at the first meeting in January (same as deputy mayor) or more often as the council determines is necessary. Each committee consists of three councilmembers, and each councilmember generally serves on at least one committee. The public safety and community development committees each choose their own chairperson.

For Details on the respective Committees please see our Council Sub-Committees page.

Boards and Commissions
The City has four (4) standing boards and commissions:
¤    Planning Commission
¤    Design Commission
¤    Civil Service Commission
¤    Park Board (also serves as Tree Board)

More information on the City’s boards and commissions can be found on the Committees, Commissions and Boards Page.