The Pierce County Council stayed true to its Republican majority Tuesday by electing Joyce McDonald of Puyallup as its new chairwoman.
But in a bipartisan move, the council for the first time since 2008 elected a Democrat – Rick Talbert – as vice chairman.
“I think that’s great,” said McDonald, who had been the council’s vice chairwoman. She said it was her idea for Talbert to take over the second chair.
McDonald said the issues the council deals with are rarely partisan in nature. In fact, last summer she unsuccessfully proposed asking voters to make the council’s positions nonpartisan.
McDonald succeeds Roger Bush, who was chairman the last three years. Bush, R-Frederickson, said in December he wouldn’t seek a fourth consecutive year as the council’s leader.
McDonald now will set the agenda for the council’s meetings. She pledged during an interview Tuesday to work in a collaborative style.
“I believe strongly that we’re a team,” McDonald said. “When you serve as chair … you’re not the boss. You’re not in control.”
McDonald, 59, is in the fourth and final year of her first term on the council. She said Tuesday she hasn’t decided whether she will run for re-election this year.
Before her election to the council in 2008, McDonald served five terms as a state representative from the 25th District.
Talbert, 46, served two terms on the Tacoma City Council before he was elected to the County Council in 2010.
McDonald and Talbert will receive the same $107,602 salary as the rest of the council.
Also Tuesday, the council re-elected Dick Muri, R-Steilacoom, as executive pro tem. The slate of officers was approved 5-0 without any discussion.
Five of the seven council members are Republicans.
Council member Tim Farrell, a Tacoma Democrat, was absent.
Stan Flemming, a University Place Republican, abstained.
Flemming and Muri both are running for the new 10th District congressional seat.
McDonald said Flemming abstained because he wanted to be chairman and didn’t get the votes.
Flemming acknowledged afterward his desire to be chairman or vice chairman but said his abstention was unrelated to not getting elected. He said he abstained because the process leading to the only proposed slate of officers was a “backroom deal.”
Flemming said Tuesday he wanted a more open, transparent process that went beyond discussions at two study sessions.
“What we did today was perfunctory because it was already decided,” he said.
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/polibuzz
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