On August 5, the council majority moved swiftly to terminate City Manager Kristina Swanson without cause, shortly after giving her a positive performance evaluation and a raise.
Fast-forward nearly three months, and that same council cannot even agree on an employment contract for the acting city manager already doing the job.
Meanwhile, the permanent recruitment process remains unresolved.
Apparently, firing someone was the easy part. Planning for what came afterward? Not so much.
Then there's the matter of police leadership, private communications, and allegations of interference with the council-manager form of government. Those allegations have not been proven, but they raise legitimate questions that deserve answers backed by public records.
And let's not forget the financial consequences. Swanson has filed a $5 million tort claim. That isn't a judgment, but legal defense, severance, recruitment, and turnover all have potential costs.
Here's the distinction some councilmembers seem to be missing: Having the legal authority to do something doesn't automatically make it a responsible decision.
You don't get to claim you're acting in the city's best interest while leaving the public wondering what the plan was, who was involved, and how much this will ultimately cost.
This isn't about whether I personally like Swanson or Ferrier. It's about competent government, transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer money.
The council demonstrated it could remove a city manager. What it has failed to demonstrate is that it had a coherent plan for running the city afterward.
And Battle Ground taxpayers are the ones left holding the bill.
Cue the Benny Hill music.
Elizabeth Shaw
Battle Ground, WA
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