After more than two hours of verbal wrangling and four roll-call votes, the Maple Valley City Council voted 6-1 to move City Hall.

City Hall will make the trip from the current location at Hagen Plaza, 22035 S.E. Wax Rd, to the Dynamic Computer Services Organization/Windermere building at 22017 S.E.Wax Rd. next to the Post Office.

Although the move is about one block along Wax Road, the trip to the new site was strained and at times hostile.

Following the vote Mayor Laure Iddings said, “That was the most painful thing I’ve ever lived through in my life.”

Earlier in the evening, Iddings broke a 3-3 tie voting down the move to DCS/Windermere.

The dilemma for the Council was the city’s lease at Hagen Plaza had expired and the city was living on month-to-month time, which forced their collective hands.

Following an executive session, the members returned, and after some discussion Iddings said, “For the sake of the team and moving forward, I’m willing to change my vote.

The mayor’s compromise broke the logjam and set the city on the road to DCS/Windermere.

An expanded story on the Council vote will be posted tomorrow.