The Bothell City Council has hired Wayne Tanaka of Ogden, Murphy and Wallace as the city’s Ethics Officer, a position which he will serve in for a minimum of one year. 

The council was also scheduled to take a vote to approve Bob Jean as interim city manager on Tuesday, but the results of that vote were not available by the Reporters deadline.  However, he was selected as the candidate by the council on June 7. 

Jean has previously served as an interim city manager for Normandy Park, Lake Forest Park, San Juan County and Bainbridge Island among other jurisdictions, according to a press release issued by the city. 

During the same June 7 meeting the council approved a separation agreement with former city manager Bob Stowe.  A decision which prompted a vocal public outcry from some members of the community, and garnered support from others. 

The Council passed an ordinance last year creating the Ethics Officer position.  Earlier this year, the city had commissioned a separate, independent investigation into a possible ethics breach pertaining to former Mayor Joshua Freed’s conduct concerning the Wayne Golf Course purchase, which ultimately cleared him of any wrongdoing. 

Tanaka has been hired on as two separate ethics complaints have recently been filed against members of the current City Council.  One of which was submitted by sitting City Council member Del Spivey. 

The complaints concern an alleged breach of the state’s open meetings act. 

As the acting Ethics Officer, Tanaka will investigate these complaints. 

According to a press release from the city of Bothell, Tanaka has more than 30 years of experience as a city attorney for various jurisdictions. 

He has also served as a past chair of Ogden, Murphy and Wallace’s municipal practice area, served as President and was on the board of the Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys and has served as legal council for the ethics commission for the city of Langley.