King City City Hall’s revolving door took a few more spins in July when the city manager and two city councilors resigned within a 16-day period.
Former city manager Mike Weston, who held the position for almost 10 years and was in contract negotiations to become Troutdale’s city manager, submitted a letter of resignation on July 8, effective Aug. 8. The City Council met July 21 with Mayor Rachel Kazmierski and City Councilors Jan Tysoe, Jessica Braverman and Steve Gearhart in attendance, who voted unanimously to accept his resignation.
On July 10 former councilor/council president Denny Gelfand resigned. He was appointed to the council after a February 2024 successful recall vote removed the mayor and three councilors from office, leaving only three seated councilors out of seven.
Former councilor John Hartman was the third person to leave City Hall in July. His appointment in December 2024 was controversial, in part triggered by a huge rally in front of City Hall by supporters of another applicant for an open seat, Gearhart, on the day of the council meeting when applicants were to be interviewed before one was selected. Gearhart was in fourth place in the November 2024 general election for three open seats on the City Council, which were won by Kazmierski, Braverman and Vince Arditi.
After Hartman was appointed, Sandra Cunningham filed a writ in Washington County Circuit Court accusing the city of not following its own code in the application process; however, a judge ruled in the city’s favor. At the July 24 City Council meeting, during a discussion about another writ being filed (by Cunningham) contesting Hartman’s appointment, Hartman announced, “I’m done,” picked up his briefcase and walked out of council chambers, leaving everyone wondering if he was resigning or just leaving the meeting.
Kazmierski said, “I would not like to spend city resources on this appeal,” and following a motion to that effect, Kazmierski, Braverman and Gearhart (who was appointed to the council in May to fill another vacancy) voted in favor of the motion; Tysoe abstained. Hartman’s resignation became effective the next day, when Cunningham withdrew the writ.
Also, at the beginning of the July 24 meeting, Braverman was elected council president; she voted in favor of the motion along with Kazmierski, Gearhart and Arditi, while Hartman and Tysoe voted against the motion.
Hiring city attorney(s)
The City Council held a special meeting July 29, attended by Kazmierski, Tysoe, Braverman and Gearhart, with two items on the agenda that generated lively discussions: hiring a city attorney to replace Peter Watts, who died June 12, and filling interim and permanent city manager positions.
After Kazmierski said they might “have to piece together different attorneys to meet our needs,” Braverman said that “one of the biggest deficits of our last attorney” was that he didn’t know the city code, he didn’t allow changes to the agenda at the start of council meetings, etc., adding, “We need someone who knows parliamentary procedure.”
Kazmierski agreed, adding that the city also needs an attorney who knows land-use and human resources laws. “We need a firm,” she said. “I would like us to set up some proposals for different firms and see which one meets our needs.”
Braverman, an attorney herself, said, “I am opposed to one firm. I think we need a cadre of attorneys.”
Kazmierski suggested they put out requests for proposals (RFPs) to law firms to get the ball rolling.
Ashley Driscoll of Beery, Elsner, & Hammond, who has been providing temporary legal counsel on certain matters for the city, said that the city also needs lawyer(s) capable of handling labor issues, litigation, property acquisition and real estate, and municipal finances. “That’s a typical suite of services,” she said.
Braverman, who said, “I personally feel like I have survived a war,” said they should be working collaboratively to “make sure this doesn’t happen again. Those pieces have got to be put in place.”
According to Kazmierski, the city has four recommendations for law firms to start the RFPs process.
Hiring a city manager
Switching to the search for a new city manager, Braverman said, “What do you do when you have a city manager who won’t be managed? The City Council has to have oversight. How do we avoid that clash of power we just got out of? We need a city manager who understands the council manages them.”
Kazmierski said that it takes about four months to find a new city manager, and two executive search firms have been recommended, so she suggested the council hold a work session and special meeting soon to continue the two processes.
The council decided not to hire an outside interim city manager, with Kazmierski saying, “I would like to limit the transition as much as possible.” Braverman added, “We’re trying to show our support and compassion for the staff… and show our appreciation.”
The council voted unanimously to make Police Chief Ernie Happala the acting city manager until Aug. 8 and then interim city manager.
The application deadline for Gelfand’s seat is Aug. 16 at 5 p.m.; the application deadline for Hartman’s seat is Aug. 28 at 5 p.m.
