‘Bitter-sweet.’ Pasco’s mayor pro-tem surprises city council with decision to step down
Pasco Mayor Pro-Tem Craig Maloney says he plans to step down from his seat on the city council next month after serving the city for nearly six years.
His “bitter-sweet” announcement made at Tuesday night’s city council meeting was a surprise to constituents and his fellow city councilmembers.
“This last vacation I took was the first I had taken in 11 years,” he said. “The simple fact is that I have spent so much of me dedicated to public service — both on council and my volunteerism work before council — that really there wasn’t a lot of space for that.”
“At this stage in my life, my family, my personal business which is suffering due to a lack of attention, and my career really deserve my full attention.”
His resignation will take effect Monday, Oct. 2.
The city council aims to make an appointment to the vacant seat sometime next month.
‘A steady voice’
Maloney was one of five new councilmembers elected in 2017 as part of a historic wave of changeover on the Pasco City Council. He is currently serving his second term after being reelected in 2021.
On the city council, Maloney represents District No. 6 — a central Pasco district that stretches from East Pasco to Heritage Park. This area includes downtown, as well as neighborhoods around Pasco High School and east of State Route 395.
Last year, he was elected mayor pro-tem, a leadership role used in the absence of Mayor Blanche Barajas.
Maloney is a Kennewick native who has lived in Pasco since 2006. He currently works as a project manager at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
He is an active and vocal member on the city council and serves on multiple boards representing Pasco, in addition to his mayor pro-tem duties.
Councilmembers say they’ll remember Maloney as a nuanced, articulate legislator.
“Craig pays close attention to each and every item in front of council, especially budget and dense policy items,” said Mayor Blanche Barajas in a provided statement. “He has been a steady voice for Pasco and he will be greatly missed.”
Councilman Pete Serrano, who was elected the same year as Maloney, said while they’ve been at the polar opposite on several issues, he will miss him.
“’All-in’ is probably shy of how far you’ve gone,” Serrano said. “We’ve all sacrificed for this, but you’ve sacrificed greatly — and your family, too.”
Maloney said Pasco has progressed and is on track to becoming a “thriving, prosperous and modern city.” He also feels the city is under good management with the recent hiring of City Manager Adam Lincoln.
But he says he and his family aren’t going anywhere.
“I have a city to fight for — it just won’t be from this seat,” he said Tuesday night.
Pasco Council Appointment
The city announced on Wednesday that it had begun accepting applications to fill the vacant District 6 seat.
The deadline for candidates to turn in materials is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22.
The city council will interview finalists at the Oct. 2 meeting.
After Maloney leaves his seat, the Pasco City Council will have 90 days to select someone to fill the vacancy.
The city plans to begin soliciting applications from eligible candidates this week, with application materials posted on its website: pasco-wa.gov.
If Pasco doesn’t fill the seat within 90 days, the decision then falls on the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to appoint someone within 180 days. After that, if still no one is appointed, the decision falls on the governor.
Whoever is selected will serve the remaining two years of Maloney’s term, through the end of 2025.
Eligible candidates must be a registered voter from District 6 and have lived inside Pasco city limits for at least a year.
This story was originally published September 6, 2023 at 12:27 PM.
