City Council

The City of Mercer Island operates under the Council/Manager form of government. In this form, the City Council of seven elected members hires a City Manager to act as Chief Executive of the City. The City Manager reports directly to the Council and carries out their policy directions. Council's vision statement and annual retreat outcomes provide a framework for city operations.

Click on the links below to jump to the following specific topics:

• Contact the City Council
• City Council Meetings
• Public Participation at City Council Meetings
• Code of Ethics
• City Council Rules of Procedure
• 2023-2024 City Council Priorities
• Open Government Trainings Act 

Contact the City Council

Councilmembers listen to their constituents, the Island residents, and also receive advice and help from the Council-appointed Boards and Commissions. The Council is vitally interested in hearing the voices of all the residents and in increasing citizen involvement. All Councilmembers serve at large for a standard term of four years; appointees filling vacated seats generally serve a shorter term. Every other January, the Council itself selects a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among the seven councilmembers for a two-year period. 

To contact the full City Council, send an email to council@mercerisland.gov or scroll to the bottom of the page for individual Councilmember contact information.

City Council Meetings

Due to the City Hall closure, City Council meetings are currently being held in a hybrid format. Meeting attendees will participate remotely via Zoom and any public wishing to attend or speak in person during appearances, may join at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center (8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island, WA) or via Zoom on the first and third Tuesdays every month beginning at 5:00pm.

To view City Council meetings as they occur live or view footage of past meetings (from 2014 to present) please visit the Agendas and Minutes page.  Also included are links to agendas, the documents for each agenda item, and minutes (if available).

Looking for historic Agenda Bills? View our searchable archive from 2015 to the present.

Council meetings also air live on the Council Meeting YouTube Channel on MI-TV (Channel 21) and are typically rebroadcast at 10:00 am T/Th/Sa/Su and 7:00 pm M/W/F.

Public Participation at City Council Meetings

The Mercer Island City Council welcomes the public to the City Council meetings and dedicates time at these meetings to hear from the public on agenda items and other issues of concern. Individuals wishing to speak live during Appearances will need to register their request with the City Clerk at 206.275.7793 or email the City Clerk and leave a message before 4 PM on the day of the Council meeting. Notify the City Clerk in advance if you are planning on speaking to the City Council in person or via Zoom, if via Zoom staff will be prepared to permit temporary video access when you enter the live Council meeting.

Follow this link for information about the City Council Meeting Code of Conduct Appearances Ground Rules.

Code of Ethics

Promoting high ethical standards and being accountable to those we serve, assures that our community can trust us. In 2021, the City Council adopted a revised Code of Ethics. These standards and guidelines apply to the City Council and appointed board and commission members.

City Council Rules of Procedure

The Mercer Island City Council establishes Rules of Procedure (“Rules”) pursuant to the authority set forth in Mercer Island City Code (“MICC”) 2.06.050(A), for the conduct of City Council meetings, proceedings and business. 

2023-2024 City Council Priorities

As part of the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget process, the City Council adopted priorities for the upcoming year. The priorities are intended to guide planning and decision-making through the year and into the next biennium. This includes working towards desired outcomes on a wide range of major projects, new activities, and ongoing work plan items.

The Council Priorities as adopted during the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget process are as follows:

Priority 1: Develop data-driven economic development and retail plans and strategies to activate Town Center and other business areas.

Priority 2: Sustain and enhance our natural environment, especially parks and open spaces, to benefit this generation and others that follow.

Priority 3: Make once-in-a-generation investments to update and modernize aging infrastructure, capital facilities, and parks. 

Priority 4: Focus efforts and actions to be an environmentally and fiscally sustainable, connected, and diverse community.

Click here for more detailed information about the current City Council Goals and Work Plan.

Open Government Trainings Act 

The Open Government Trainings Act enacted by the 2014 Legislature (ESB 5964, Laws of 2014, Ch. 66) requires training for some local government officials in the fundamentals of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), Public Records Act (PRA), and records retention requirements. Click here to view more information and links to training videos to fulfill this requirement.