"As mayor of Mount Vernon, I want to welcome residents, business owners and visitors to our web site.  We are a rapidly growing City with an outstanding City Council, energetic staff and an involved citizenry".  Norris further said "It's an honor and privilege for me to serve as the Mayor of Mount Vernon.  Please feel free to call or e-mail me on matters of importance."

The City of Mount Vernon is organized as a non-chartered code City, having a strong Mayor-Council form of government.  Mayor Bud Norris is the City's chief executive and administrative officer, in charge of all departments and employees.  The Mayor's position is a four-year term, and will expire on December 31, 2011.

Mayor Norris spent his childhood years in Hamilton, Washington.  His family later moved to Sedro-Woolley, where he excelled in athletics and academics.  He attended Washington State University on an athletic scholarship for football and basketball.  After receiving his Bachelor's Degree in Education, Mayor Norris was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the NFL.  He later coached football at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, where he received his Master Degree in Education.  That was followed up with teaching and coaching positions in the Seattle School District.

In 1973 Mayor Norris and his wife Marcia, purchased their first home in Mount Vernon, at the southwest corner of the College Way and Waugh Road intersection.  This is where they lived for the next 33 years and raised their three daughters Mistry, Larissa, Mindy and son Chance. 

In 1976 Mayor Norris was elected as the youngest Skagit County Commissioner ever in District No. 2.  He held this position for two, four-year terms.

Mayor Norris later worked as a Budget Analyst for the King County Council in Seattle.  In 1989 he opened his own insurance firm in Mount Vernon which he owned and operated for the next 17 years. (He sold the insurance firm in 2005 due to his dedication to the responsibilities as Mayor of Mount Vernon.)

In 2003 an advisory group asked Mayor Norris to consider running for Mayor of Mount Vernon.  He was elected in November of 2003, and took office on January 1^st, 2004.