Issaquah has what is known as a “strong mayor” form of city government, so our mayor is elected by the voters to be the chief executive and administrative officer of the city.

The other alternative is the “city manager” form where the mayor is a figurehead position and the city council hires a city manager to run the day-to-day staff functions.

In the days when the Mayor of Issaquah was a part-time position, it made sense to have a city administrator to coordinate the activities of the staff. Then, back in the day, mayor Rowan Hinds created the position of assistant city administrator, though I have never found where the city council authorized that change.

In 2001, the mayor’s job was officially changed to a full-time position by Agenda Bills 4678 and 4721 with pay and benefits to match. The mayor’s salary was again increased in 2007, by Agenda Bill 5568, to $84,000 per year.

So, why are we hiring a new city administrator to do the work of a city manager when we have elected a full-time strong mayor to do that work?

Did anyone read about Bell, California recently?

Hank Thomas

Issaquah