City of Bonney Lake - Governance

Election Information

To view candidates & elections information visit the Pierce County Auditor Elections Website

Election Results
Current & past election results are available from the Pierce County Elections Archives

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. All members of the City Council are elected 'at-large' and represent the entire City.

(Prior to April 2011, the Council consisted of two at-large Councilmembers and 5 Councilmembers who were elected by Ward (district). In March 2011 the City Council approved Ordinance 1383, providing for an all "At-Large" system of Council representation. Per this Ordinance, which took effect on April 7, 2011, the City Council "shall consist of seven members, all of whom shall be elected at large". Councilmember position titles have changed to reflect the all at-large system, and the Ward system is no longer in use.)

Executive Branch
Mayor

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. View the City's Organizational Chart to see how various departments are structured. 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 are currently no term limits. Councilmembers are non-partisan (they do not represent political parties). All seven Councilmembers are elected 'at-large' and represent the entire 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. 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.

The City Council'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.

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.

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