Politics takes a snooze in Marysville

The budget has shrunk, revenue prospects are fuzzy at best, and city leaders say there's plenty at stake in Marysville in the coming years.

Mayor Bill Harris and City Council Members Jim Kitchen and Christina Billeci are up for re-election in November. All will have the luxury of running unopposed.

"I'm not going to be conceited enough to say everybody is happy with the way we're running the city," said Kitchen, 71, about his lack of competition for the council post. "I'd say it's probably more apathy than satisfaction."

Kitchen is concluding his third City Council term in 16 years.

He remembers a time when City Council meetings were lively, "and we had fairly intense races."

The political silence, he said, began to set in four years ago when Harris ran unopposed. Then, in 2006, newcomers Michael Selvidge and Ben Wirtschafter took council seats with no one running against them.

But why incumbents are not being challenged is a mystery.

There are plenty of reasons not to run, said former Councilman and Mayor Jerry Crippen, 63.

"It's a thankless job," he said. "The only time people show up to meetings is when they're mad at you."

City Services Director Dave Lamon said it's a job that has gotten harder over the years.

"There are a lot of agencies you have get involved with and a lot of regulatory issues you have to learn about and deal with that people don't see," he said. "And then you're exposed to people questioning and second-guessing your decisions."

Crippen, who won his first council race in 1994, said there's a correlation between attendance at public meetings and interest in the local election.

With budget problems resulting in layoffs and cutbacks in service, Crippen said, "I'm surprised nobody's showing up now." He remembers when the chambers in City Hall were standing room only for the twice monthly council proceedings.

But there is no shortage of public opinion about the way things are going in Marysville, if letters to the editor and the Appeal-Democrat Web site are any gauge.

"They're the carpers," said Crippen. "They do nothing productive; they just like to complain."

Wirtschafter said he follows some of the running commentary on the Web site when council is making key decisions.

"I thought there'd be more people (running for office) after the budget issues," he said. "There were a ton of comments about that."

Wirtschafter said it's frustrating not to hear from constituents in a more productive context.

"If people are that interested in the issues, why say so anonymously?" he said. "If you believe you're well informed, then why not participate in the process openly?"

Or run for office.

Wirtschafter said he thought for sure one of the very few people the council hears from regularly would file candidacy papers.

"None of that materialized. It's stunning," he said.

Lamon said that from an administrative point of view, there are benefits to having experienced elected officials.

"It takes a while for a supervisor or council member to learn and understand how things work," he said. "You hate to lose that and start over with someone new, because it's not something you walk into and pick up over night."

But Kitchen said he fears the lack of participation indicates cynicism.

"Maybe the problems we face are so overwhelming, nobody wants to try and take them on," he said. "There's a feeling of hopelessness out there."

The city would benefit, he said, "from new ideas and fresh approaches — we're not getting those."

"The world is run by people who show up," Kitchen said. "If they want to see us move in a new direction, they need to show up."

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Nancy Pasternack at 749-4712 or at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com