Michael Curry and Craig Reynolds are running for Position 5 on the Mercer Island City Council in the Nov. 7 general election. King County Elections mailed out ballots on Oct. 18.
Curry vows to bring honor, integrity and selfless service to council if he’s elected to position No. 5 in the fall. The candidate lists his priorities as public safety, supporting first-response teams, fiscal responsibility, transportation advocacy, putting Mercer Island first, and preserving the city’s unique and beautiful parks system.
Incumbent Reynolds feels the city has made significant strides in recent years and said there’s more to be done. The former city planning commission member has worked for 38 years as an actuary, where he focuses on understanding, forecasting and mitigating future financial risks.
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CURRY
* Why are you running for Mercer Island City Council?
Serving the community is a genuine expression of my commitment to Mercer Island. The city has been a cornerstone in my family’s life, and I feel compelled to contribute more directly to the community by establishing sound policies. My campaign for Mercer Island City Councilmember is driven by my aspiration to ensure that the concerns of our residents, especially on public safety, park support, and town center enhancements, are understood and addressed while at the same time engaging in regional issues as appropriate.
* What do you feel are three of the most critical issues on Mercer Island and how do you hope to address them?
Public safety — Essential human care and public safety are intrinsically connected. I am driven to establish policies that embody our community’s compassion while ensuring safety for all. I will work with the city council and our law enforcement professionals to engage our state legislators to craft policies that keep citizens safe.
Fiscal responsibility — Increasing taxes or proposing to increase taxes to cover costs never works out well for the city or the citizens without having a foundational understanding of the situation. Proposition 1, which I opposed, and Mercer Island voters also rejected, is an excellent example of where my candidacy is differentiated from my opponent. The proposition was not well thought out, and, more importantly, as history has shown, an increase in the tax structure was unnecessary. I will work closely with the city council, city management, and other leaders to ensure our spending is transparent, adds maximum value, and funds critical programs, such as school counselors. There will also be significant items that will need to be addressed, including water/sewer infrastructure and the future of city hall.
Open space and parks — I am fully committed to preserving and enhancing our open spaces and parks. This includes supporting a parks zone, which will protect parks against development codes and uses that are not in the best interests of parks. I am also committed to expanding and integrating additional inclusive play structures into our parks. My commitment is illustrated by my continued leadership and volunteerism in this area. For example, I volunteered to help lead the parks levy that passed in 2022, passing with 64% in favor of vote.
* What’s your life philosophy and how can you apply that to council matters?
My life philosophy of transparency, honesty, and integrity will guide my approach to council matters. Through open communication, responsible fiscal management, and a dedication to the best interests of Mercer Island, I aim to contribute positively to the betterment of our community.
The first step is to ensure everyone who wants to be involved or provide input can secure information. Transparency fosters trust, and I intend to uphold this principle in my role on the council. I will ensure that my relationship with the mayor, city manager, and fellow council members is characterized by open and transparent communication. This means being candid about my views, listening attentively to the perspectives of others, and sharing information openly with the community. By actively seeking input and involving the community in decision-making, we can collectively refine our approach and ensure that it aligns with the best interests of our city.
My commitment to transparency also extends to fiscal management and decision-making. I will apply these principles to council matters by advocating for prudent budgeting, prioritizing essential services, and making well-informed decisions that benefit Mercer Island’s residents in the short and long run.
Lastly, my experiences in the US military and active involvement with the Mercer Island community, including serving on the Planning Commission and leading the parks levy, have deepened my understanding of leadership and public service. These experiences have reinforced my belief in the importance of integrity and dedication to serving the greater good. As a council member, I will draw upon these lessons to ensure that every decision I make is guided by a commitment to the well-being of Mercer Island and its residents.
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REYNOLDS
* Why are you running for Mercer Island City Council?
When I look to the future of Mercer Island, I envision a city that continues to offer effective public safety services, reliable infrastructure, beautiful parks, and robust family services. And, I also hope for a future Mercer Island that is anchored with a thriving Town Center, meets the challenges of addressing climate change, makes the most of the coming light rail connection, supports multi-modal transportation, and includes a diverse and vibrant population. Mercer Island is a wonderful place to live. We have a bright future ahead.
Four years ago, I chose to run for council because I wanted to bring my work experience and analytical skills to help the city maintain its status as a full-service city and continue to contribute positively to Island quality of life. In the last four years, I helped craft our first financial management policies, to ensure that we are responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. I helped create our first climate action plan, to help protect our planet and our community. I helped revise our town center development code, to promote the development of retail and dining options. I supported our parks, including a largely grant-supported redevelopment of the Luther Burbank waterfront, a new accessible playground at Mercerdale Park, and a new bike skills area at Deane’s Children’s Park. I supported the addition of two new police officers to our team, to support public safety. But there is more to do.
* What do you feel are three of the most critical issues on Mercer Island and how do you hope to address them?
Mercer Island is a thriving community, and we face long-term challenges. Solutions will require creative planning, careful analysis of risk and opportunities, and an open mind.
First, the Growth Management Act requires us to update our comprehensive plan every 10 years. This is the document that establishes our vision for what the city will be. In this cycle, the council directed staff to focus on two areas in the update: Economic development and housing. Prioritizing economic development will allow us to create a strategy for growth in retail and dining options in Town Center, building on the changes resulting from the arrival of light rail. The focus on housing is necessary to comply with recent state-mandated changes in residential housing density and zoning. With careful planning we can produce greater diversity of housing stock on the Island that supports aging in place, returning children, and Island housing options for our teachers, public safety officials, and others who contribute to Island quality of life. This is our opportunity to decide on the future city we want—and begin the process of making it happen.
Second, we need to decide what to do about our city hall, which has been closed since April due to the unfortunate presence of asbestos dust in the building. As a community, we must decide how best to acquire, build, or rent a new facility that will better serve community needs in our modern world. While many city services have moved online, there is no doubt that we still need a city hall. Certain functions, including police and courts, require a central location for effective operations. Many roles can be filled by staff working remotely, but only at the cost of less personal connection to residents. Making the right decision will require a careful analysis of our staffing and customer service model to decide how big the facility needs to be, as well as thoughtful consideration of facility design, location, and financing alternatives.
Finally, we need to be ever-vigilant on responsible use of tax dollars and efficient city operations. Again and again, I have heard from Mercer Islanders that they want Mercer Island to be a full-service city, with high quality, locally controlled police and fire services, functional utility and transportation services, a parks system that is the envy of the region, social service programs such as school counselors, and a commitment to environmental and fiscal sustainability. To deliver on this vision, the council will need to carefully evaluate the short and long-term implications of every funding decision and, in some cases, make tough decisions.
* What’s your life philosophy and how can you apply that to council matters?
In every decision I make, I strive to make the planet and our community a better place to live, for current and future generations. I consider what we want the city to be, the consequences and financial implications of every decision, and the responsibility of the city government to Island residents and the broader community. Through service on the city council, I work to ensure that the city provides critical services such as public safety, parks and recreation, utilities and infrastructure, and a social safety net. I have demonstrated this commitment in multiple ways including supporting new park facilities, advocating for local control of our fire department, ensuring adequate funding of Youth and Family Services, and consistently advocating for retail and dining development in town center.
H.L. Mencken once said: “For every complex problem, there’s a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” As a councilmember, I take seriously my responsibility to dive deeply and consider the unforeseen implications and unintended consequences of every decision the council makes to ensure we do the best for the community.
I am committed to careful decision making based on open minded, data-driven, and thorough analysis of the options. In my 38-year career as an actuary, I have advised corporate clients on tough decisions related to long-term planning, mergers and acquisitions, risk management, and product design. Each of these decisions was based on sophisticated mathematical modeling and objective analysis of opportunities and risks. I bring these same skills to work for the city council, where I take seriously my fiduciary responsibility to be a careful steward of taxpayer dollars.
Many decisions the council makes have long-term quality of life or financial implications. Utilizing my training and experience, I am working hard to ensure that we practice responsible financial management so that the city has the resources to operate effectively as a full-service city and continue to serve well all who live here.
