Orting — The City Council unanimously voted Wednesday to form an ad hoc committee to provide tools and options for council action in response to recent directives and public comments from the mayor. The committee will consider drafting a council statement, exploring engagement of outside legal counsel on a limited scope and evaluating mediation as a possible path forward.

Council member Gunther moved to add the item to the agenda and proposed the three tasks; the motion drew unanimous support. Members who volunteered to serve on the ad hoc committee were Council members Hogan, Holland and Gunther. The committee’s scope, as described at the study session, is limited to the three tasks: (1) draft a potential council statement replying to recent mayoral directives and related public comments; (2) explore the option of engaging outside legal counsel in a limited scope so the council has neutral legal advice about statutory duties; and (3) research whether mediation could help the two branches restore a working relationship if the situation continues.

Council members emphasized that the committee’s work should be thoughtful and narrow. Several councilors said they had struggled to find precedent for the current circumstances in Washington state and that they wanted a process‑oriented way to respond rather than ad‑hoc or reactive statements. One council member said the aim was to provide “tools to function responsibly and legally” in the present situation.

Action: The council formed the ad hoc committee and authorized the three volunteer members to meet and report back. Staff will assist in scheduling and providing any needed documents. The committee did not immediately confer authority to hire outside counsel; rather, it was directed to explore limited engagement options and return recommendations to the full council.

Why it matters: The committee formalizes council efforts to respond to internal governance issues and to secure legal advice and dispute‑resolution options without immediate escalation. The council requested that the committee report back its findings and proposed actions at a future meeting.

Next steps: Staff will coordinate meeting times and provide documents for review; the ad hoc committee will report back with a recommended draft statement, options for limited outside counsel (including scope and cost), and an assessment of mediation’s potential usefulness.