Doreen Marchione chosen as Deputy Mayor of Kirkland

There's another Marchione among the mayoral ranks on the Eastside. Redmond Mayor John Marchione's mother, Doreen, was unanimously selected as the new Kirkland deputy mayor Tuesday night by Kirkland City Council.

January 4, 2012 5:22 pm
Doreen Marchione
Doreen Marchione

There’s another Marchione among the mayoral ranks on the Eastside.

Redmond Mayor John Marchione’s mother, Doreen, was unanimously selected as the new Kirkland deputy mayor Tuesday night by Kirkland City Council.

Kirkland Council member Joan McBride was re-elected as mayor by the Kirkland Council, another unanimous vote.

Doreen served as Redmond’s mayor from 1984 to 1991 and John was re-elected to his second term last November as Redmond mayor by the Redmond voters.

Doreen takes over for Kirkland council member Penny Sweet, who stepped aside at Tuesday’s meeting and nominated Doreen as her replacement.

“I believe it will serve us well to have such an experienced and respected member of our council acting in this capacity,” Sweet said.

Microsoft, Corp. moved to Redmond during Doreen’s term as Redmond’s mayor. Doreen, who moved to Kirkland from Redmond 19 years ago and has served on the Kirkland Council the last two years, was also the president and CEO of Hopelink from 1992-2006.

“I just felt I’ve got long-time experience that I can bring to (the Deputy Mayor) position,” Doreen said.

Kirkland and Redmond will each have a Marchione in the mayoral ranks, but the two cities have two different styles of government.

In Kirkland, which uses a city manager form of government, the mayor and deputy mayor are elected from within the City Council and presides at City Council meetings and represents the city at various ceremonial functions and at community and intergovernmental meetings. Kirkland also has a City Manger, who presides over the day-to-day operations of the city, but does not make executive decisions.

In Redmond, the mayor and seven council members — all representing the community at large — are each elected directly by registered voters for staggered four-year terms. John, first elected to mayor in 2007, ran unopposed last year and was re-elected to his second term last November.

While Doreen and John will be influential leaders on the Eastside, they don’t talk politics at family functions.

“The family wouldn’t put up with it,” Doreen said with a chuckle.