Councilmember James Mayhew, Position 4

This is a photo of Council Member James Mayhew. Councilmember Mayhew
Position 5
Term Expires: 12/31/2023

My family and I moved to Snoqualmie in 2009 for its stunning mountain scenery, beautiful rural valley, and small town values. Raising our family here with the caring shown by our neighbors has been the community we dreamed of.

My career in accounting and finance and involvement with community non-profits has given me a keen understanding of the importance of long-term planning and the critical role of fiscal sustainability and discipline. Today’s sometimes complex fiscal decisions significantly impact what our community will look like decades from now.

With the development of Snoqualmie Ridge, the city has grown exponentially from 1,600 in 2000 to over 13,000 today, creating new city revenues but also requiring significantly expanded services. As this growth period closes we face a future with limited revenue yet many remaining challenges. My priorities are maintaining and expanding our parks and open spaces; funding the long-term maintenance and renewal of our streets, water system and other infrastructure; improving traffic, particularly at the I-90/SR-18 interchange; and managing the remaining growth areas in the city. We must ensure this growth is consistent with our city’s character, quality of life, and historic area charm while including adequate affordable workforce housing.

We also need to promote the economic health of our restaurant and retail merchants which make our community vibrant, support commercial enterprises that provide living wage jobs, capitalize on tourist spending and decrease our reliance on residential taxes. The City’s Comprehensive Plan guides all of this, and we must ensure ongoing active engagement with citizens in how this plan is implemented.

Service in 2023:

  • Community Development Council Committee, Member
  • Economic Development Commission, City Council Liaison
  • Finance & Administration Council Committee, Member
  • Human Services Advisory Committee, City Council Liaison
  • SE Area Legislative Transportation Coalition (SEAL-TC), City Council Liaison 
  • Snoqualmie Tribe, City Council Liaison
  • Sound Cities Association, Representative