It’s official. There are now two candidates vying to be Issaquah’s next mayor in the November election.

Joe Forker, a 22-year resident of Issaquah, who lives on Squak Mountain with his wife, Michele, was recently appointed to fill the city council seat vacated by Mark Mullet, who was elected to the State Senate.

Forkner will serve the rest of Mullet’s term, which expires Nov. 2013. Forkner’s campaign manager Russell Joe, served with him on the Issaquah City Council from 2000 – 2007. Forkner said based on his employment history and experience he is ready to lead Issaquah into the future, while still maintaining its small town charm and appeal.

Forkner’s only opponent so far is fellow city council member Fred Butler. Forkner, 59, said he wants to run a high-performance organization, promoting workforce housing, better transportation options, economic vitality and tourism. He was the Task Force Chair for the Central Issaquah Plan. Development standards for the CIP should be done by the end of this year, but he acknowledged that many community members are leery of the CIP, mainly because they suffer from lack of information. He wants to boil down the information so it’s less laborious for folks to plow through.

He said now that he is on the city council he can help implement the communication between city hall and the public. With regard to his opponent, Forkner said Butler’s strength is in transportation, an often cited problem in Issaquah.

“Most of my experience is local,” Forkner said. “I feel I’m more in tune with what’s going on in the city in many ways.”

Forkner said he will be a working Mayor, visible, not an administrator behind a desk. He has served multiple terms on Issaquah’s development commission, planning policy commission, cable television commission and the parks board. Additionally, Forkner has served on the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Issaquah Association boards of directors. He has also been an employee of the city of Issaquah, working in the operations and maintenance department.

Michele Forkner works as the code enforcement officer for the city; Forkner said city attorney Wayne Tanaka has said that shouldn’t create a conflict of interest. Forkner said if it does become an issue, it will be addressed.

Presently Forkner works for Encompass Engineering and Surveying/Baima and Holmberg in Issaquah. The couple has four grown sons and six grandchildren.

“The small town feel is here if you take the time to let it be,” Forkner said. “This is a big town, but on the other hand it doesn’t have to be.”

Forkner said it’s important that messages from city hall are one voice.

“It will be the mayor’s responsibility to create that voice,” he said.