King City Mayor Marc Manelis (who was just elected mayor by the City Council on Jan. 15) has resigned from the council. He emailed his fellow councilors of his decision on March 25, and City Attorney Peter Watts confirmed to Tigard Life via email March 26 that “I received an email from Marc stating he was resigning from the Council.”
Following a successful recall petition filed against Manelis, he was facing a deadline of March 26 at 5 p.m. to either resign or submit a statement of justification (to remain in office). According to the Washington County Elections Division, Randy Olsen, the chief petitioner of the recall petition against Manelis, had submitted enough valid signatures from King City electors to warrant a special recall election, set for April 29.
Second recall for Manelis
This was the second recall petition filed against Manelis. The original recall petition, also filed by Olsen in the fall of 2023, cited him and other council members for voting for the King City Transportation System Plan and Kingston Terrace Master Plan.
While the others were recalled, the recall group stated that “Councilor Manelis has shown a desire to hear community feedback and adjust his council decisions to reflect the community will. We appreciate his willingness to do so. In light of this, his name was not submitted to be on the recall.”
The latest recall petition stated that “Marc Manelis voted to reappoint a recalled King City councilor (Smart Ocholi) to City Council…”
It also stated that “Marc Manelis failed to declare his conflict-of-interest multiple times. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission found he violated ORS 244.120(2). Marc Manelis voted to remove local street connection protections for Fischer Road and voted for an extension of Fischer Road against the wishes of his constituency… Even with continued vocal objections from his constituency, and the previous recall of City Councilors, he has done nothing to amend the planned Fischer Road extension… King City deserves a representative that listens to our community.”
Karl Swanson, who managed the latest petition process and coordinated the signature gathering, said, “The positive reaction is stronger than last year, with people more informed this time. Their understanding is higher after they voted to recall last year and their disgust that Council President Marc Manelis convinced his councilors to reappoint recalled Councilor Ocholi after we had just voted Ocholi off council.”
Successful ethics complaint
The reference in the recall petition to Manelis violating Oregon ethics law refers to a complaint filed last year by Mike Meyer, who lives in King City’s urban growth boundary area that is being developed as Kingston Terrace. Meyer filed a complaint with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission against Manelis and other councilors on the grounds that all four of them lived in Edgewater and voted in favor of the Kingston Terrace Master Plan and King City Transportation System Plan without declaring a conflict of interest. All four were found in violation of ORS 244.120 (2) regarding conflict-of-interest provisions in Oregon government ethics law.
The final order states that Manelis owns property on Southwest 136th Avenue, which is to be improved under the TSP and which “could impact property value, positively or negatively, of the existing properties on 136th Avenue adjacent to the extension, including that owned by Mr. Manelis.”
Furthermore, it states in part that at the time, “Additionally, Marc Manelis is a Real Estate broker and owns Tualatin Valley Realty Group. As the Tualatin Valley Realty Group is a business with which Mr. Manelis is associated, any decision or action he takes in his role on the City Council that could result in future business for the Realty Group could give rise to a potential conflict of interest, requiring Mr. Manelis to make a public announcement of his potential conflict of interest…”
The order further states, “Marc Manelis contends that any violations were unintentional. In addition to agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth in this stipulated final order, Marc Manelis commits to completing additional ethics training from the Commission’s training staff within the next six months.”
Manelis response
Manelis was invited to comment on the recall campaign and responded to Tigard Life on March 12, calling it “a misguided effort that threatens to undermine the progress and representation our community has achieved.” He added, “Councilor Manelis has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the betterment of King City, and the reasons cited for his recall do not warrant such drastic action. It is imperative and time that our great community of King City comes together and not be torn apart.”
He further stated, “Recalls are serious measures intended to address egregious misconduct or dereliction of duty. In this case, the differences of opinion regarding city planning and specific votes do not rise to the level of justifying a recall. Engaging in constructive dialogue and participating in regular electoral processes are more appropriate avenues for addressing policy disagreements. Councilor Manelis is actively working on a resolution, along with the entire council, to come to an agreement.”
Writ against new councilor appointment
In other legal matters affecting King City, Sandra Cunningham filed a writ in Washington County Circuit Court over the city’s rejection of her application for an open seat on the City Council and its decision to proceed with interviewing other candidates and appointing John Hartman to the vacancy.
Cunningham claims the council did not follow the King City Code on the number of days the application period should remain open and the number of days following the application period before interviews can be held. The writ asks the Court to declare Hartman’s appointment null and void and order the City Council “to conduct a new interview and selection process” that includes Cunningham and any other qualified candidates who submitted applications by the Dec. 21, 2024, deadline.
City seeks new trial judge
In the Cunningham case, attorney J. Michael Harris, representing the city, filed a declaration to disqualify two Circuit Court judges from hearing the case. Harris stated that between 2004 and 2011 he had “extensive contact with, and appearances before, Judge Bailey,” adding, “I believe that Judge Bailey cannot serve as a fair and impartial trial judge in this case.”
Judge Erwin ruled against the city in its attempt to keep Smart Ocholi on the council after he was recalled and then appointed back on the council. Harris stated, “My client, through Mike Weston, the City Manager for the City of King City, has expressly indicated a belief that Judge Erwin cannot serve as a fair and impartial judge in this case.”
Judge Bucher will now preside over the May 2 hearing of the Cunningham case.
Unite King City dissolved
Finally, Unite King City, a group formed to bring “all of King City together for a bright future together,” has thrown in the towel and dissolved after recent actions by the City Council. It states on its website that the “King City Council appears to be digging in their heels to resist change. We’ve heard a desire for a united community. But actions speak louder than words, and the actions of the current King City Council are troubling.”
The group criticized the “old” City Council for rushing to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Ocholi a second time before a “new” council with three new councilors elected in November 2024 took office, “completely dismissing the electorate’s will and simultaneously restricting one of the new applicants to the shortest term possible.”
