Questions swirl over Mukilteo’s hiring of state senator

MUKILTEO — Marko Liias has two jobs. One is state senator. Another is policy analyst for the city of Mukilteo, where he works with his longtime friend and the city’s mayor, Jennifer Gregerson.

Questions about his dual jobs have swirled since Liias was selected for the city job in May. His hiring is scheduled to be discussed again at Monday’s City Council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m.

Some residents and council members wonder about potential conflicts between Liias’ city and state government jobs. His role as a state senator from the 21st District will require him to leave his city post for about three months a year to represent the Mukilteo area in Olympia.

City Council President Randy Lord said he told the mayor last month that he would give her 30 days to consider her options, including asking Liias to resign.

“We know the mayor has the right to hire,” Lord said. “At the same time, we set policy. I’m trying to look and see if (Liias’ appointment) is best for the city of Mukilteo.”

Gregerson said she has no plans to ask Liias to resign.

“Monday is a chance for council to continue to get their questions answered,” she said.

Gregerson said the council confirms some department heads and directors, but no positions below department directors.

“I think Marko is the best candidate for that position,” she said. “He’s qualified. He has the educational background. He knows Mukilteo well. He’s doing a good job in that role.”

Lord said he has no quibble with Liias, who is a former council member himself.

“Personally, I like the guy,” he said.

Lord said he thinks that Liias could do a good job either as the city’s policy analyst or representing the 21st District as its state senator — but not doing both.

Being a state senator means campaigning for office, in addition to serving in Olympia during legislative sessions, Lord said.

The city’s policy analyst job is a full-time position, Lord said. “I believe the citizens want us to pay for a policy analyst, not for a campaign.”

Liias said that being a member of the Legislature is considered part-time work, and many have jobs outside state government — in education, law and other fields that are affected by legislation.

Liias’ city duties include producing the city’s newsletter, responding to questions from the public, overseeing the city’s grants, keeping tabs on garbage, cable and gas contracts, and advising the mayor and department heads.

Liias said he will take unpaid leave when the Legislature is in session. He estimates the salary he will make this year for his city job, which started in May, will be $39,187. Next year, it will be $46,113, he said. He is paid $42,106 as a state senator.

Liias said he feels his background, which includes a bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and graduate courses at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs, are good qualifications.

But some wonder if his friendship with the mayor was nonetheless a factor, introducing an undercurrent of politics to his hiring. Christine Schmalz, wife of Councilman Steve Schmalz, who ran for mayor last year, has called the hiring “cronyism at its finest.”

Liias served on the City Council with Gregerson. “It’s a small community,” Liias said. “It’s not a surprise that we all know each other. I’m happy to call her a friend.”

The city always has critics, Liias added. “I do think there are a set of people out there who are questioning every decision that the city makes.”

Gregerson said that the policy analyst job came about as part of a reorganization of city government. That included eliminating the job of city manager. The job of assistant to the city administrator was changed to create the policy analyst position, she said.

Administrative changes recommended by an outside consulting company included creating a management services director in lieu of the city manager’s job, creating a human resources manager job, and creating a third job that was part policy analysis and part city communications, Gregerson said.

The job description for the policy analyst was written in April. The job opening was posted on the city’s website, at the UW’s Evans School of Public Affairs and at the Association of Washington Cities, Gregerson said.

Fifteen people applied. A human relations manager in the Mukilteo School District did an initial review of applications. Gregerson said she wasn’t involved in the hiring process until the final candidates were selected.

Gregerson thinks that the city will be able to handle Liias’ absence during the legislative sessions, with other members of the executive team filling in his duties. The money saved during that time helped pay for the city’s human resources manager job, she said.

A city attorney who deals with labor and personnel issues has been asked to be at Monday’s meeting.

Lord said he asked for the item to be put on Monday’s agenda so the City Council could come to some conclusion on the issue.

“We don’t want to do anything rash, but we want to understand what it is we can do,” Lord said.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.

Meeting

The Mukilteo City Council is scheduled to discuss the hiring of Marko Liias as the city’s policy analyst during a meeting scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday. The council meetings are at 11930 Cyrus Way in Mukilteo.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Alex Hanson looks over sections of the Herald and sets the ink on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Black Press, publisher of Everett’s Daily Herald, is sold

The new owners include two Canadian private investment firms and a media company based in the southern United States.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.