Rosemarie Ives, Redmond Mayor

Education:  Annhurst College, BA History; University of Bridgeport, MS Social Science

 2. Important personal characteristics as they relate to the office:

Loyalty and dedication to the people of Redmond.

Vision: the ability to plan and see the implications of decisions on the long term future of Redmond, while still responding to the immediate needs of the city.

Resiliency: being able to take the ups and downs of public life in stride,  yet still advance the interests of the community. 

Pertinent advanced education and professional experience.

3. Accomplishments of which I am most proud.

The city of Redmond - it's citizens, city staff, the school district, the faith community, and others - have come together in embracing our common vision that "Together we create a community of good neighbors." 

The vision statement is more than just a slogan, it guides us in all the decisions we make every day.  This focus was an outgrowth of a strategic action process that I developed that keeps city efforts moving toward long term city wide goals.  This new way of thinking and planning incorporates the qualities and commitments necessary for city employees to provide excellent service to the community.  Our six strategic directions address:  1. Community Oriented Government,  2. Strong, safe, self-sufficient neighborhoods, 3. Preserving city treasures (historic buildings, natural environment, wildlife, irreplaceable elements of Redmond's identity), 4. Strong people-to-people connections, 5. High quality infrastructure,  6. Optimal service delivery.

There are two community treasures that I am particularly proud of saving and restoring.

"River Walk" is a mega-project along the Sammamish River in the heart of Redmond that restored salmon habitat and involved five city departments, state, and national agencies working together to integrate urban infrastructure with the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of the natural environment.  It has won over a dozen national and regional awards.

The Old Redmond Elementary School has been converted to a thriving community center and was recognized by the Project for Public Spaces as one of the 26 "World's Great Places."     

 4. Current activities:

Mayor of Redmond, 12 years.

Management board, Suburban Cities Association. One of four suburban officials on the King County Regional Policy Committee.

Represents Redmond on the 520 Trans-Lake and I-405 executive boards, the Eastside Emergency Communications Association, the Cascade Water Alliance, and ARCH, a regional coalition for housing. 

Sits on the US Conference of Mayors Urban Water Council and Homeland Security Task Force. Served on the National League of Cities Leadership Institute.

5. Duties of the office:

The primary duties are to serve as the  political leader of the city and as the Chief Executive Officer responsible for managing an organization of 550 employees and a 300 million dollar budget.  The mayor recruits and leads seven department directors.  The Mayor is responsible for presenting the city budget.  During my tenure we moved to a biennial budget.  

The most important role, in my opinion, is the ability to bring forward Mayoral initiatives that reflect the needs of the community.  The Mayor translates what the public wants into programs and actions to achieve those goals, brings those proposals for council consideration, and implements the council's decision. Examples would be the Youth Agenda and River Walk.  More recently, the Mayor must negotiate and develop solutions to respond to the devolution of services and facilities occurring at King County such as jails and pools.

The Mayor represents the city at regional forums.  The Mayor needs a comprehensive perspective on what actions will best serve the citizens of Redmond and the region, and to understand how all the parts interrelate.