Source: http://pugetsoundblogs.com/south-kitsap/tag/add-new-tag/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 20:39:51+00:00

Document:
The City of Port Orchard has responded (in timely fashion) to the Kitsap Sun’s request for documents related to the resignations of three city staff members since January. I wrote about the resignations when former city clerk Michelle Merlino left in June.
Merlino’s resignation bears similarities to those of former city engineer Maher Abed, who resigned in April, and former city planner, JoAnne Long-Woods, who resigned shortly after Coppola took office.
The total cost of the three resignations to the city, therefore, is $35,846.03.
All three agreements included a provision that the city “agrees not to make disparaging remarks of a personal or professional nature” about the individual, who in turn “agrees that she (he) will not make disparaging comments of a personal or professional nature about the city or its current or former elected officials, public officers, directors, employees, representatives, agents, insurers, successors and assigns.
According to the letter I received with the documents, the mayor derives his authority to appoint or remove officials in these positions under the Port Orchard Municipal Code.
The mayor of the city may appoint or remove the city clerk, city treasurer, city engineer and the police chief subject to a confirmation vote by a majority of not less than four members of the city council. Such appointments and removals must be in writing, signed by the mayor and filed with the city clerk. (Ord. 1830 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1223 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1056 § 1, 1978; Ord. 919 § 1, 1973; Ord. 759 § 1, 1966; Ord. 685 § 1, 1961).
* Appointment authorized – See RCW 35.23.021.
RCW 35.23.021: The mayor shall appoint and at his or her pleasure may remove all appointive officers except as otherwise provided herein: PROVIDED, That municipal judges shall be removed only upon conviction of misconduct or malfeasance in office, or because of physical or mental disability rendering the judge incapable of performing the duties of his or her office. Every appointment or removal must be in writing signed by the mayor and filed with the city clerk.
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