The race for Maple Valley City Council Position No. 2 is proving to be a spirited sprint for the primary finish line.

The incumbent, Deputy Mayor Glenn Smith, is being challenged by Bill Allison and Jim Flynn.

Allison, owner of Jamba Juice in Covington, is entering the political paddock for the first time, but he is proving to be very willing to mix it up with the big boys.

Flynn was on the council for 10 years, and had previously been deputy mayor, before losing to Layne Barnes in a contentious race for seat No. 3 two years ago.

There are three seats up for grabs on the council and all are contested. Stanette Marie Rose is challenging incumbent Victoria Laise Jonas for position No. 6. Erin Weaver is going for seat No. 4 against incumbent David Pilgrim.

Position No. 2 is the only race with three contenders, and two will emerge from the Aug. 18 primary and run for the Nov. 3 general election.

Flynn said he decided to jump back into the fray because, “this is my hometown. I really care about Maple Valley.”

The former council member was raised in the area and stated, “I chose to stay here because I love this community. My primary reason (for running) is to try to keep Maple Valley a place where families want to stay.”

Flynn said he thinks the city has gone “a little off track. We need to look at the comp (comprehensive) plan and budget and cater to the needs of citizens rather than the folks that want to develop the city.”

Allison said he believes the “city is at a pivotal crossroads. I believe the direction the leadership takes will impact us in a very big way.”

Allison stated if the city continues with the “current leadership we will head down a path which does not put us in a good position. It is not only Glenn (Smith). I believe the council as a whole is accountable. Behind closed doors they share their own opinions, but it is not very clear up front. I believe Laure (Iddings) is a strong leader as mayor. I’ve been asked if I will vote for Laure as mayor. I don’t know…. We’ve seen what she can do, but I don’t know what other options are out there.”

Allison said he thinks the City Council has been indecisive and “not forward thinking. Their decisions have put us in this crises we are in right now. It is basically their poor planning that constitutes our emergency.”

According to Allison, this election cycle will either “carry Maple Valley ahead or put us behind.”

He stated the council “needs to be transparent. I don’t think they are giving us what their true feelings are. They favor their own special interests.”

Allison pointed out he thought Smith was a “nice guy , but not a leader” and Flynn had a “conflict of interest” because of his business holdings in the city.

Flynn owns Flynn Development Inc. and said his main work is managing property.

“I’m really a one person company,” Flynn said. “All I do is manage properties for owners and do some improvements.”

Flynn said he has built one (commercial) building in Maple Valley in the past 12 years, Tahoma Athletic, and his home.

Flynn said he is being “painted as some kind of developer that’s cutting down trees in Maple Valley…. We’re not sellers; we are holders. I nourish businesses. I see myself as a farmer.”

Smith said he sees the citizens becoming more involved because, “there is a greater awaking…. I think it is fantastic. Involvement from every group and every person is important.”

Smith said the city has seen “a lot of changes in the past 12 years with a population of over 20,000. We are not the same city we used to be. For one of my opponents (Flynn) he sees it as the city it used to be. He can own an eyesore and it was a problem when it was a small city and it is even more important now.”

The “eyesore” Smith referred to is the boarded up building at the corner of Witte Road and Maple Valley-Black Diamond Highway.

Flynn said the building belongs to a partnership of his family members. It was a tavern his parents owned when Flynn was growing up. The partnership bought the building as “one of two buildings we purchased.”

Flynn said the partnership had plans to develop the property, but could not because a “road-widening project” would cut off access. The property could not be developed until the access issue was settled.

According to Flynn, the partnership has “agreed to take it (the building) down” in about the next month.

Smith stated Flynn has “issues with his properties and he has a huge conflict of interest.”

Flynn said conflict of interest is a “RCW (revised code of Washington) for government officials. In 10 years it only happened (to Flynn) four times.”

Flynn noted there are issues when council members do not participate in a vote because of community connections, “if you are not involved in your community and you are on the City Council there is something wrong.”

Flynn has faced questions of conflict of interest with his company and code violations in the city. The city sent a letter to Flynn April 27 concerning a complaint regarding a parking lot at 23830 222nd Place S.E. The letter stated the parking lot violated city code.

Flynn said he took care of the issue.

“I went over all this and got it cleared up,” Flynn said. “If you are going to be a public official, you jump through all the hoops.”

Flynn said he believes attending meetings is very important and said Smith misses too many meetings.

“If you are elected you need to be there,” Flynn said. “Since incorporation I only missed one (meeting). Glenn went to pro wrestling and missed a meeting and he is going to miss all four in July. He is not contributing”

Flynn said, “If there is anything of substance he (Smith) has to have a staff member carry the load.”

Smith said he has contributed both to the city and region by serving on the City Council and representing the council at the Suburban Cities Association meetings .

The deputy mayor said he is concerned where Allison’s loyalties are because he owns a business in Covington and serves on the Public Works Advisory Committee.

“He’s never been on a board in Maple Valley,” Smith said.

Allison said he is committed to Maple Valley. He said his children attend school in the Tahoma School District and his wife works for the district.

“To serve Maple Valley better you need to know what is going on in Covington and around you,” Allison said. “But Maple Valley is the area we chose to live, not Covington, not Black Diamond, not Ravensdale.”