Popular Services
Mayor & City Council
The City of Connell is a noncharter code city with a Mayor-Council form of government, which is the oldest form of local government in Washington. Most cities in the state operate under the Mayor-Council system. The Mayor is elected by the residents of Connell and serves as the chief administrative officer for a four-year term. Many cities, like Connell, hire a City Administrator to provide professional management of the City’s day-to-day operations.
The five-member Council is responsible for formulating and adopting City policies, while the Mayor is ultimately responsible for carrying them out. The separation of powers is based on the traditional federal and state model in the United States. The Mayor attends and presides over City Council meetings but does not vote, except in the case of a tie. The Mayor has veto authority over legislation, but the veto may be overridden by the Council.
City Council Members are also elected by the residents and serve four-year terms. The Council is empowered with the authority to enact ordinances and policies in a representative democratic manner. Citizens do not practice direct democracy. The legislative process is set up to be a give and take of different interests among Council Members that search for compromises acceptable to the majority of the governing body.
Citizen testimony is accepted during public hearings or the public comment portion of regular City Council meetings (see Council Rules for Public Participation).
Connell’s City Council meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at 6:00 pm at 104 E. Adams St. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall. Agendas and minutes for City Council meetings can be found here.