Council keeps city managers pay unchanged, extends severance and adds six-month cooling-off period in 5-2 vote

After a closed executive-session performance review, the Woodinville City Council voted on a package of personnel contract provisions for the city manager. The motion, moved and spoken to by the mayor, proposed keeping the city managers compensation at the current rate, increasing severance from nine to 12 months and adding a six-month "cooling-off" period after city elections during which the city manager could be terminated only for cause.

Supporters argued the changes are non-cost contractual provisions that provide continuity and reflect comparable market practice. The mayor summarized local comparables and defended the recommendation: "Our city manager is compensated at $243,000 per year. The median is $235,000," he said, later adding, "I think the city manager is doing a fantastic job." Staff and supporters said similar severance terms exist in nearby jurisdictions.

Opponents raised concerns about transparency and the timing of the cooling-off proposal. Councilmember Bess Campbell said she could not support a 12-month severance based on concerns she raised in the written review about day-to-day operations and public transparency. Councilmember Taylor said he had not previously heard of the six-month cooling-off practice and questioned whether it was appropriate to add such a term without further study.

The council conducted a roll-call vote and approved the motion, 5-2. The clerk recorded the following votes: Evans, Edwards, Millman, Arndt and Randolph — yes; Bess Campbell and Taylor — no. The motion amends the city managers contract as described; staff will return any implementing documents to the council as needed.

No change to base salary was adopted at the meeting; the other contract provisions were approved pending final documentation.