Bill Daley should be remembered as one of Olympia’s civic visionaries | Opinion
Olympia has lost a significant leader, Bill Daley.
When Bill emerged on the city’s 1970s political scene, many downtown buildings were empty, auto dealerships occupied much of the land, and there was limited public access to downtown’s waterfront.
A three-member commission ran city government. Traditionally, commission seats were occupied by white businessmen, except for 1950s Mayor Amanda Smith. Legally, a three-member commission did not allow for committees to discuss issues and develop policy. Even so, commissioners met before each commission meeting, seldom attended by the public or the press, and discussed the next meeting’s issues. Commission meetings were short, sometimes lasting only five minutes.
Commissioners were both administrators and policy makers. Although the commission had a city administrator, commissioners could direct city staff. This situation prompted the League of Women Voters do a study of city government that concluded that a seven-member council with a professional manager would best serve Olympia. The League convinced the Commission to put the question on the ballot, ran a campaign, and persuaded Olympia voters to choose the council-manager form of government.
Bill’s support was critical in convincing voters to make the change. He was a transitional official who served on the last Commission and the first Council. The new city council changed the face of city government by adding women and state employees to the city’s governing body and guaranteed professional management with a city manager.
Although not the first mayor, Bill was the city council’s real leader. He was a big picture thinker and strategist whose vision for Olympia’s downtown, drawn from never implemented plans, laid the foundation for its revitalization. This vision included turning Olympia’s orientation to its waterfront with Percival Landing, making downtown a gathering place with the Washington Center, Olympia Center, and a Farmer’s Market inspired by his visits to farmers markets on his foreign travels.
While all new council members ran on a platform of downtown revitalization, it was Bill’s powers of persuasion, honed as a legislative lobbyist, that gathered community support for these projects, and made sure they were on the council’s agenda with enough votes to make them a reality. Never one to bask in the limelight, Bill associated different council members with each project and saw to it they received credit for their completion. For these projects, Olympia was named an All-American City.
Bill was a renaissance man, well-read and an art lover. He saw the arts as an important part of downtown revitalization. He hosted meetings of artists and art promoters to brainstorm ideas for an Arts Commission and formulate a proposal. The City Council adopted it. An Arts Commission was responsible for the first pieces of public art purchased by the city and the concept of Arts Walk
Bill also realized that public safety was an important part of attracting people to the downtown. During his time on the council, a walking patrol began.
While downtown was Bill’s passion, so were the environment and improving and maintaining the city’s infrastructure. During Bill’s tenure, a stormwater utility was established. At the urging of older neighborhoods, the city raised age-old utility rates to improve its deteriorating water lines.
Bill had a great sense of humor and was proud of his Irish heritage. When he was mayor, on St. Patrick’s Day the corner of Legion and Capitol Way was painted with shamrocks.
While he never sought recognition, Olympians should not forget his significant contributions and honor his memory.
Holly Gadbaw served 19 years on the Olympia City Council, including a term as mayor and several terms with Bill Daley. Bill was the city’s Mayor when the council hired City Manager Dick Cushing, who served for 17 years.
