SeaTac voters will not vote on changing to an elected mayor form of government this year.

Council members defeated July 27 a motion that would have placed a resolution on the November ballot that would have changed SeaTac from a city manager/city council form of government to one headed by an elected mayor.

No lawmakers had changed their mind on the motion since it was first offered at the July 13 council meeting. Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher, Councilman Rick Forschler and Councilwoman Pam Fernald voted in favor. Mayor Terry Anderson, Councilman Ralph Shape, Councilman Tony Anderson and Councilwoman Mia Gregerson opposed it.

In answer to a question from Gregerson, City Clerk Kristina Gregg reported that placing the resolution on the November ballot would cost the city about $30,000. Since City Council races would already be on the November 2011 ballot, it would not cost the city any extra money to add the resolution on to the ballot at that time.

Fisher said at the July 13 meeting that the city would have to pay $30,000 whether it was on this November's ballot or the 2011 ballot.

Fisher apologized for the misstatement. He and Fernald indicated during debate the added expense might change their vote, but they both supported the motion.

Shape said the elected mayor resolution had been on the ballot three times and been rejected by voters each time. Last November, the proposition lost by nine votes.

Shape also noted that a council majority can fire a city manager immediately while an elected mayor can only be voted out in an election.

Fisher said in the last election, he personally delivered to King County Elections about 25 valid signature cards with signed affidavits witnessed by him. He added that about two hours before vote counting closed, Elections officials told him the residents would have to appear personally at the Elections office to have their votes counted.

Former Councilman Barry Ladenburg said the issue could be revisited in several years but taxpayers should not pay for an election so soon after the matter had been voted on.

"If citizens want to pay for an election, that's OK," Ladenburg added.

SeaTac resident Earl Gipson, who headed last year's pro-proposition campaign, spoke passionately in favor of the motion.

Gibson declared, "The opposition says 'if it ain't broke don't fix it.' SeaTac citizens say the system is broken."

He has indicated he will organize a citizen initiative drive to place the resolution on the November 2011 ballot.

Lawmakers were also briefed on a consultant's report that recommended that the city create a economic and development services department. The new department would combine planning, building and civil engineering into one department to provide a focus on the development permitting process.

The study done by the Prothman Company, headed by former Des Moines City Manager Greg Prothman, was highly critical of the city's current permitting process. The study was based on interviews with city staffers and private developers.