Mayor of Spokane Valley won’t seek reappointment

Spokane Valley’s first mayor is stepping aside.

Mike DeVleming said Friday he will not seek reappointment when the council determines its next leader Nov. 16.

“I think it’s time for somebody else to have that opportunity,” he said. DeVleming added later, “The amount of responsibility – not more power or more authority – that the office of mayor has, it’s really a lot.”

The positions of mayor and deputy mayor have two-year terms and are chosen by the council. Although the mayor has the same voting power of other council members, he presides over council meetings and often is expected to attend more civic events than other council members.

Citizens also often first contact the mayor, not the other council members, when they have questions or concerns because of the visibility of the position.

At least one other council member, Deputy Mayor Diana Wilhite, plans to run for the top job.

“I think it would be an honor to lead the city,” she said. “We’re facing some tough times. I want to be sure that we do the best job for the citizens of the Valley.”

Councilman Richard Munson said he won’t be running and plans to vote for Wilhite. The four other council members didn’t immediately return calls for comment Friday afternoon.

The entire council will be up for re-election next November. After that election, the top four vote-getters will serve four-year terms and the other three will serve two-year terms.

Unless the council changes its schedule for choosing mayors, it will elect them in even-numbered years.

DeVleming will serve as a regular councilman for the remainder of his term, and hasn’t decided yet if he’ll run for a seat again next year.

Council members earn $400 a month and the mayor earns $500. There will be a measure on the ballot next year to increase their pay to $900 for council members, $1,000 for deputy mayor and $1,200 for mayor.

DeVleming, 45, has been known to log 40-hour weeks fulfilling his mayoral duties. On top of that, he works full-time as customer-service director at Vera Water & Power. Some weeks he goes two days without seeing his son L.T., 11, and daughter Rachel, 9.

“I am amazed that he’s found as much time as he has to do the kinds of things for the city that he has,” Planning Commission Chairman Bill Gothmann said. “He has met with what seems to me an overwhelming number of groups, to make connections with them, to really be a mayor of the people.”

DeVleming compared being mayor to parenthood.

“There are days you can pull your hair out, but it can be very rewarding,” he said.

Gothmann said DeVleming’s organizational skills and outgoing personality are assets to the city.

“I think he’s been exactly what the new city needed,” Gothmann said.

In recent months, the council has been criticized over the city’s finances, its decision to consider privatizing the library and its move to put a property tax increase on the ballot. Spokane Valley is receiving about $4 million less in sales tax receipts than incorporation backers had told voters it would receive, forcing the council to consider cuts to programs. Currently, the council is debating imposing a utility tax to pay for services like snowplowing, police and other needs.

DeVleming said it’s never fun to read negative letters about himself in the newspaper, but it only really upsets him when the person criticizing him doesn’t have the facts right. DeVleming said he’ll advise his successor to grow thick skin, and in the meantime he’ll enjoy spending more time with his wife, Pennie, and their children.

“I miss my family,” he said.