After hearing public comment and going into executive session for 30 minutes, the Shoreline City Council returned to the podium Monday evening to pass a unanimous motion to select Julie Underwood, current Shoreline Assistant City Manager, as the Shoreline City Manager to replace Bob Olander, who is retiring on February 23.
The offer is contingent upon successful completion of an employment agreement and a Council subcommittee of Mayor McGlashan and Councilmembers Roberts, and Eggen will work on that agreement. She would begin the new position on February 25.
Deputy Mayor Hall gave the report, thanking citizens for all their input and noting the exhaustive process to go through 50 applications from eleven different states. Hall said, "The Council feels we have the best possible choice for the position."
Councilmember Roberts noted that the Council has been working on a replacement for Bob Olander since August 2010, and members of the public have taken the opportunity to comment during that time. He said, "We have a candidate who reflects the values of the City of Shoreline."
Mayor McGlashan commented that he appreciated the work of the Council, that "the members came together, worked well together and were open and honest with their considerations."
The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 pm.
I'm overwhelmed and very excited about Julie being chosen to lead the dedicated City staff of the City of Shoreline. She is an exemplary person and truly the best choice for the position. Her professionalism and tact in times of adversity is unmatched. Kudos to you, Julie!!
ReplyDeleteKeith McGlashan stated that the council and leadership team engaged the public in October for their input on the criteria for selection of a new city manager.
ReplyDeleteA review of the city council agendas for the entire month of October shows absolutely no discussion with the public on these criteria.
The leadership team and various councilmembers were too busy with the prop 1 campaign to be bothered with asking the public what they might want in a city manager since they were more interested in fleecing them for more money.
McGlashan "....(council)members.... were open and honest with their considerations." How exactly were the members OPEN and honest with their considerations?
ReplyDeleteIt's clear the decision was made illegally in an executive session. What part of "Secret Meetings" doesn't this council understand?
Julie Underwood is a great choice for Shoreline City Manager. She is so smart and capable. She has the highest level of integrity and professionalism. She is already well versed in the many issues that Shoreline is facing. We will be well served!
ReplyDeleteWill Hall thanked the citizens for their input?
ReplyDeleteAnd when did the city solicit the citizens input?
Keith McGlashan stated that in October they solicited input from the citizens, but the agenda for the city council meetings shows NO INPUT from the citizens. The citizens could only speak at two meetings, the others were study sessions.
The council held executive sessions to discuss personnel matters, which are secret and the public is not allowed to attend and no minutes are required.
The city did not ask the citizens for input, McGlashan and Hall are just blowing smoke. All the city cared about last fall was chiseling money out of the property owners to keep on funding business as usual.
What part of executive session and keeping personnel discussions private do some of these anonymous -- always anonymous! -- commentors not understand? One would think by now they had been out in the world enough to know how it works. Would they rather we as taxpayers pay the cost of the city being sued over and over by exposing private, personal information to the public? These folks won't even sign their name to a little comment but expect discussions such as these to be open to the entire world? Really?
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as the council "...fleecing them for more money..." and "... chiseling money out of the property owners..." goes, as a Shoreline property owner I distinctly remember being given the opportunity to vote on the levy lid lift. No council member could shove it down my throat even if they wanted to. You insult me by suggesting they could.
Some of you may want to live in a swampland that continues to deteriorate year after year, but thankfully the rest of us who voted yes to approve it don't. I actually would pay more because I believe our city is good at making a little go a long way as far as taxes go.
In honor of what appears to be the SOP for these comments I will also become one among the many anonymous, though it shames me because I typically am not shy of owning my opinions. Why are all of you?