We concede the point: Mayoral candidate Darlene Kordonowy knows the Bainbridge Island Comprehensive Plan line by line. Her opponent, Chris Llewellyn, understands it less in detail, more in concept. Anyone disagree? Then perhaps we can get on with the process of selecting a mayor, based on what the mayor actually does.

These thoughts are occasioned by last Wednesday’s mayoral debate before Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce members, in which the two hopefuls cited their accomplishments and pedigrees – and in one embarrassing instance, tried to trap the other into misstatements over the specifics of the comp-plan. It looked like Gore vs. “W” redux, the wonk versus the teddy bear.

Would but that the job of leading the all-island city were a matter of academics, of memorizing chapter and verse of a land-use and economic planning document.

It’s not. As a former office-holder once observed, the mayor serves as “the people’s representative,” less nuts-and-bolts on policy issues, more figurehead and official “ear” for those who need help from (or want to grind an ax with) city hall. The office is part administrative, part ceremonial, the job description part leader, part ambassador, part ombudsman.

As to implementing the comprehensive plan, the mayor can set the tone through budgeting – making recommendations that the city council is then free to change or ignore to suit its collective whim. The mayor helps shape the council agenda, but it’s up to those seven legislators to decide what issues they will take up.

We look back on some of the accomplishments of Mayor Dwight Sutton, and we see his work less as a series of bold initiatives, more an understanding of the general goals of the public and the smarts to step up as opportunities arise. With the public works department in disarray, Sutton acted decisively to fire the director and bring in new leadership. Perceiving the call from citizens for open space preservation, he used discretionary funds for land purchases; when a low-income apartment building was for sale in Winslow, Sutton brought in the county housing authority, which purchased the building and saved it from possible redevelopment. Communication with citizens improved under Sutton’s direction; we believe he earned the respect of those inside and outside city hall.

The mayor is charged with making the average citizen feel confident about their city.

Can Kordonowy and Llewellyn measure up?

Then enough about the comprehensive plan already; we’re not electing an eighth council member. Questions voters are already asking amongst themselves, and that we hope to see addressed in upcoming debates: Which city departments are working well? Which ones aren’t, and what would you do about it? Where would you like to see more city spending – and less? Will everyone – builder and environmentalist alike – get a fair shake from your administration? How can the city better serve us all?

Specifically, to Kordonowy: After so many years spent crafting local policies, can you step outside the debate and implement them – even those you disagree with?

And to Llewellyn: If your husband Jim is re-elected, do you see any conflicts inherent to having the mayor and a senior council member under the same roof?

To both: Prove to us that you can listen; prove to us that you can understand; prove to us that you can lead.