Council Names Jessi Bon Permanent City Manager

Feb 19, 2020 - ​The City of Mercer Island is pleased to announce the official appointment of Jessi Bon as City Manager, effective on February 18, 2020, following a nine-month interim tenure in the position that began in June of last year.

Bon joined the City in 2018 as its Parks and Recreation Director and has over 20 years of experience in local municipal government.  Prior to Mercer Island, she served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Sammamish, and before that was its Director of Parks and Recreation for 10 years.

“This is an incredible opportunity and I am honored that the City Council selected me to serve in the permanent role,” said Bon. “I moved to Mercer Island ten years ago and knew it was the place I would raise my family. It’s truly a gift to live and work here and I value the shared connections.”

Of the appointment, Mayor Benson Wong said, "After getting to know Jessi for the past two years, and witnessing her professionalism, leadership skills, and tenacity, I have no doubt that she is the right choice for a permanent City Manager. I look forward to working with her even more closely in the future.”

Today, in partnership with the City Council and the staff, Bon is focusing on a number of key initiatives to stabilize the organization including: rebuilding the leadership team; resolving the status of other interim positions; managing for community growth and change; continuing to prepare for the arrival of light rail; and planning for long-term fiscal and environmental sustainability.

“With change there also comes opportunity. Yes, we lost a number of staff last year, but that created a path to begin implementing some organizational changes,” said Bon. “New staff, and new roles for current staff, all bring fresh perspective and renewed energy. This is a highly competent team and I’m proud of them for hanging on and working through these challenges.”

“Based on the projects we’ve already tackled together, I know that Jessi will do everything she can to plan wisely and effectively for the future of this community,” said Deputy Mayor Wendy Weiker.

Bon provided a look ahead to the future, “From my vantage point, this is an organization with unlimited potential. My vision is a people-first organization that builds and maintains enduring relationships. Trust is at the foundation of our organization, both in serving our community and working together as a team. We build trust through authenticity, doing what we say we’re going to do, and remaining open to feedback. And here’s a key detail: if we’re going to be a creative, solution-oriented organization, that means sometimes things won’t go as planned and we’ll make mistakes. And when we do, we’ll use those as a learning opportunity. That is how we’ll grow and evolve.”

Bon points to the community as a critical component of the rebuilding process, and added, “I appreciate all of the support the Mercer Island community has given me the past nine months and I am excited that we’ll have the opportunity to continue working together. We’ve got this.”

Bon has lived on Mercer Island since 2010 with her husband Mike (an Island native), and their three daughters. She earned a B.S. from Western Washington University and a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University.
  
Learn more about the role of City Manager.