Deane reflects on dozen years on council
Former Moses Lake Mayor Dick Deane, right, presents a plaque to outgoing Moses Lake City Councilmember Jon Lane, left, at their last meeting. Deane recently talked about the lessons he learned in his dozen years on the council.
MOSES LAKE — Dick Deane said his time on the Moses Lake City Council convinced him councilmembers do their jobs best when they listen.
“Listen, listen, listen,” Deane said, and then the council needs to do its homework. “Every issue, there are at least two sides.” The third step is communication, he said. “When somebody contacts you, make sure you contact them back.”
Deane, a retired teacher and school administrator, served on the council for 12 years, and put in 15 years on the city’s parks and recreation commission. He lost a bid for reelection in November 2015.
“It’s certainly a wonderful experience. I broadened my horizons,” he said.
For most people, it takes a lot to come before the council, Deane said, and in light of that, business before the council needs to be conducted with mutual respect. The council and city government isn’t the enemy, he said, it’s there to support the community.
The city is the level of government closest to residents, Deane said. Council decisions affect city residents in almost everything they do. “We have direct contact with individuals,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important to contact them as they contact us.”
Even at the city level, government and government decisions can be complex, one example being limits placed on city actions by state and federal mandates, he said. Any given issue can involve a lot of different viewpoints, Deane said, and as a result it’s important for councilmembers to do their research. In fact, the system works best if residents do their research before coming to the council, he said.
Councilmembers need to be aware of special interests, he said, and make sure they don’t have influence on council decisions. “You do your own research,” he said, and whatever the decision, help residents “adjust their direction so (the issue) becomes workable.”
Transparency is important in city government, Deane said, and councilmembers and city officials have to believe the actions they take are in the best interests of the community.
“You’ve got to have a team effort,” he said. In Deane's opinion, he said, the firing of city manager Joe Gavinski showed, what happens when teamwork is lacking. Deane said he felt Gavinski was poorly treated by the council and the city's fire department.
Dean said he’s proud of the work the council and city officials did in neighborhoods that needed upgrades in city services. During his time on the council the city built the Civic Center and developed Sinkuse Square downtown, developed the Lauzier Athletic Complex and improved code enforcement, he said.
It’s important to keep residents informed of what’s going on, Deane continues, and how what’s happening now will impact the future. “Look down the road 15, 20 years.” A good councilmember has to have vision, he said, and to be flexible. And they must be committed to the city, he said.
He appreciates his time on the council, but he appreciates being a private citizen also. “I’m kind of enjoying not going to meetings.”