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Pasco resident alleges misuse of animal-control funds and other misconduct during council public comment
Summary
Mary Mahoney used her public-comment time to make multiple allegations about the Pasco Aquatic Center costs and alleged misuse of a $545,000 animal-control donation; the statements were recorded as public comment and not answered on the record during the meeting.
During the Pasco City Council public comment period, Mary Mahoney identified herself as a Pasco resident and read a list of allegations concerning the Pasco Aquatic Center and animal control. Her remarks named city staff and outside partners and requested that the claims be placed on the public record and that records be provided under RCW 42.56.
Mahoney asserted that "Matt Watkins is paid nearly 11,000 dollars per month plus expenses" and that "phase 1 of the aquatic center exceeds $40,000,000," and she asked the council to provide a total project cost and payments to partners and city staff she named. She also alleged that a $545,000 donation intended for homeless animals was improperly handled and claimed "$300,000 of that donation was siphoned off," and she asked for repayment and accounting. Mahoney referenced alleged animal-cruelty counts and called for documentation of euthanasia training certificates.
The council did not provide an on-the-record response during the meeting. The speaker explicitly requested records under Washington’s Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) "for the record." No staff response or corrective statements appear in the transcript segment recording the public comment. City staff or officials did not answer the specific allegations during the meeting; these items were not resolved on the record.
Why it matters: public-comment allegations that name staff, contractors or specific dollar amounts raise the need for transparent records checks and official responses. The council meeting is not a forum for investigative findings; the transcript shows the speaker requested records and notice to the city.
Context and limitations: the statements reported here are allegations made during public comment. They were not adjudicated or investigated in the meeting and remain unverified by city staff in this record. The council did not take action in response to the allegations during this session. Readers seeking confirmation should request records through the public records process noted by the speaker.
