Clyde Hill News: Mayor to address police trust problem?
Unclear if Mayor, during “thorough investigation,” spoke with the police officer insulted by City Administrator
Following a meeting with police where the Mayor heard comments such as “you’re lying” and “you’re not doing your job,” the Mayor and City Administrator will report on their efforts to address the trust issues between them and the police.
More detail below on this item, as well as other topics of interest to residents, on the agenda at next week’s city council meeting on the 13th. You can find the agenda here (link). If you find this newsletter useful or interesting, please forward it to your Clyde Hill neighbors and friends. Thank you!
Disclaimer: while I am a councilmember on the Clyde Hill City Council, I write this newsletter in my capacity as an individual resident. Any opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily the position of the City. The information and references here are from public sources. I welcome email responses — and if the topic is about City business I will respond from my City email account.
Report from Mayor re trust problem
The council meeting agenda includes a bullet promising “Strategies to improve morale and trust” between the administration and police — but currently has no other written material from the Mayor and City Administrator concerning what they have heard from police and staff or what they plan to do.
Cm Steve Friedman asked the Mayor, at a council meeting in November, to provide a written report to the community and the council at the December meeting. The Mayor would not commit to a written report; it is not clear if one will be provided.
The agenda packet does include a document from city councilmembers on this discussion topic, summarizing their understanding of police concerns about the Mayor and City Administrator. Here’s an excerpt:
Officers expressed surprise at the lack of follow-through and documentation from the Mayor regarding the “homeboy” incident. The Mayor asserted that she had performed a thorough independent investigation of the incident. When the officer involved in the incident was asked if the Mayor had spoken with him, he said no, the Mayor had not spoken with him. Officers could not reconcile a claim of thorough investigation with not speaking with someone involved in the incident.
Officers expressed surprise when the Mayor told them that she had shredded the police report concerning the incident between the City Administrator and a police officer, when the City Administrator called the officer “homeboy.”
Comments made to the Mayor from the police included “you’re lying” and “you’re not doing your job.” An officer made a specific assertion that the Mayor had been derelict in her duty, echoing the October letter from the union that represents the police.
You can read the complete document here (link).
The agenda packet also includes a one-page timeline of events dating back to May related to the Administration-Police trust problems (link).
No written report re “Clear lack of trust in the administration”
That phrase — “clear lack of trust in the administration” — was the verbal summary of an exit interview with a departing Clyde Hill police officer. Residents heard a full report at the September council meeting; you can read more about that here (link).
After the Mayor referred to a written report from this exit interview, some residents expected to find that report in the city meeting packet. The packet does not include this written report.
Given the verbal report about the interview several months ago at a public meeting, it’s not clear why the written report wasn’t ready for residents. It’s not clear if it’s just an oversight or an attempt to slow-walk bad news.
Other items of interest
New 2023 rates (and tips!) for garbage, recycle and compost
Republic Services posted the new rate schedule; PDF is available here (link).
Great tips and specific guidance about recycling are in the document, like how to recycle small appliances and electronics, fluorescent tubes and bulbs, batteries, and more.
More stormwater flooding
Public works reports that a “crew responded to a repetitive flooding concern near 87th Place,” and that it is “reminiscent of 17th” St issues.
Stormwater flooding issues on 17th St (link) remain unchanged and unresolved.
Code enforcement update
The Administration took another step forward in addressing code enforcement and compliance issues, updating the Code Compliance page on the city’s website (link). The Administrator’s report describes it as
“a vast improvement over what was there previously and we believe it to reflect the consensus of both the committee and Staff.” (link)
For context, this work follows a concerted push earlier this year by the city council regarding problems with the administration’s code compliance and enforcement work. As the Mayor wrote:
“City Councilmembers have all stated that they believe there is a problem with code enforcement. As Mayor, I do not, and here’s why.” (link)
Among other problems, the city council pointed out that residents did not have access to a clear explanation of the process and rules. Residents should celebrate and welcome this website update and progress.
Prop 1 vote certified
The city meeting packet includes a certification from King County Elections (link) that voters did not approve Clyde Hill Prop 1.
The ballot measure was the result of a petition signed by a large number of registered voters in Clyde Hill.
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Dean Hachamovitch