The norm in Woodway appears to be this: when a Council member wishes to step down, they do not announce this until after their next election, then the remaining Council members appoint a hand-picked replacement. Historically, Woodway Council members can expect to run unopposed; in ten of the past 15 years, none of the incumbents have faced any challengers at all. So the scheme of (a) run unopposed, (b) then resign and (c) have your replacement appointed has allowed the Woodway City Council to be almost entirely chosen by the Council itself rather than by the voters.
I understand that the Council needs a mechanism by which to cover unexpected vacancies. But the number of appointments in Woodway is way beyond “unexpected”. The resignations typically occur very shortly (1 to 4 months) after being re-elected. An honorable exception is that of Rodney Kroll, who served about 14 months of his 2-year term before resigning.
Interestingly, since Yost Zakhary has taken over as City Manager in 2001, only one new Council member (Tony Wommack) has earned a Council position by election, while in that same time period there have been five appointments (see table below, based on information provided by the City Secretary). Until this year's election, that is.
One former Council member has been blogging about possible causes for the outcomes of the 2010 elections. How about this theory: the citizens of Woodway decided they would like to choose their Council members for a change.
To my fellow Council members: if/when you decide to step down from your position, let this be known before your next re-election so there can be a fair and open competition for your place on the Council.
Response to "Honestly Woodway": I am NOT calling for special elections for all future vacancies; I agree that would be too burdensome. I am simply asking that Council members not stand for re-election knowing they intend to resign in the near future. Also, you'll notice that I am not impugning the qualifications of anyone who has been appointed, nor their character except perhaps to the extent that they have subsequently been complicit in this self-selection of our City Council. And, yes, of course other cities use appointments, but not to anywhere near the extent that Woodway has. For example, look at the Waco City Council records (see here, then choose "past city leaders" link). Going back 40 years, I count a total of only 9 appointments, and in none of these cases did re-elected Council members resign shortly after the election.
That the Woodway City Council has been, in effect, a largely self-selecting body is undeniable. The numbers speak for themselves. Meanwhile, questions remain: has this self-selection been a remarkable coincidence or is it an intentional result? If intentional, why have the Woodway City leaders so frequently chosen appointments over free elections?
