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Mayor recuses from Twisp–Yakama MOU negotiations; Civil Service Commission to be reconstituted
Summary
Mayor Smith said town counsel recommended he recuse himself from negotiations over a proposed Twisp–Yakama MOU because of his employment with the Yakama Nation; the council named Council Member Studen as the new point of contact and the mayor outlined plans to solicit applicants to reconstitute the Civil Service Commission in compliance with state law.
Mayor Smith told the council that, because of his ongoing employment with the Yakama Nation, the town attorney recommended he recuse himself from serving as the designated contact or participating in negotiations on the Yakama Nation proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU). He asked the council to designate an alternate point of contact.
Council Member Lundquist moved to appoint Council Member/Mayor Pro-Tem Studen as the designated point of contact for the Twisp–Yakama MOU negotiations; Council Member Auburn seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Separately, Mayor Smith said the Civil Service Commission—whose members are mayoral appointees—will be reconstituted as required by state law. He plans to solicit applications with specific qualifications (including living in town and at least three years residency), to accept applications through Feb. 14, and to conduct interviews by March; commissioners would serve six-year terms and the mayor said he will move slowly and deliberately in selecting candidates given the commission’s specialized authority.
Why it matters: the recusal ensures the town has a designated negotiator without a potential conflict of interest. Reconstituting the Civil Service Commission will affect oversight of sworn public safety staff; the mayor outlined timelines for application and interviews but no appointments were finalized on Jan. 14.
