The new Puyallup City Council marked its first meeting of 2012 by taking a fresh look at an issue that the previous council slapped down: giving citizens the power to enact laws and repeal ones they oppose.
The seven-member council, which has four new faces this year, also pledged a spirit of cooperation and hinted at a different agenda than last year’s group. Members raised the possibility of changes, such as opening meetings with an invocation, starting meetings later and giving voters a voice in selecting the mayor.
For now, the council picked a new mayor from within its ranks, as its rules prescribe. Rick Hansen, who will fill the post for the next two years, said he’s optimistic about the new council.
“We’ve got seven bright people. Nobody is afraid to talk. They’re all willing to share ideas,” Hansen told a reporter after Tuesday night’s meeting.
The council didn’t decide whether to establish powers of initiative and referendum, which cities such as Bonney Lake and Lakewood already have. But members did ask staff members to prepare information on the process and options, and it appears there’s greater support than when the council discussed it in 2010.
Back then, a proposal that would have set the stage for providing the powers was approved by Hansen and Councilman John Knutsen, but turned down by the rest of the council. At the time, Hansen and Knutsen made up a vocal council minority on several issues.
The rejection of initiative and referendum was unpopular among citizen activists and became an issue in last fall’s council election. Councilman John Hopkins, who won a seat representing Puyallup’s north end, said approving the civic powers would show that elected leaders are listening to residents.
“From the point of view of regaining the citizens’ trust – from a symbolic point of view – it’s huge,” he said before Tuesday’s meeting.
Councilman Kent Boyle was on the council in 2010 and voted with the majority to reject the proposal. He said at the time he was concerned that special interest groups could take advantage of the process.
Now he says he’d like to see the idea taken to the public for input and would support what citizens want.
The council is slated to talk about it again at a meeting next month.
Members kicked off Tuesday’s session by picking Hansen as mayor. The post is largely ceremonial; the mayor presides over council meetings and attends events while the city manager runs daily operations.
Under council rules, Knutsen was next in line to be mayor because he’s served the most continuous years; he’s entering his fifth year on council. But he declined, saying Hansen should have the post.
Hansen, a 64-year-old downtown property owner, was appointed to represent the council’s central district in 2008. He previously logged eight years on the council in the 1980s.
Hansen said he expects the new group to have great debates but also to be cordial.
Other members also said they hope to shed the council’s reputation for bickering.
“This is the opportunity for this council to look ahead, not behind,” Boyle said, “and it’s my hope that we do that, and we all work as collectively as we possibly can.”
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058
sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/street
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