City council members and employees have no idea where mayor is
Since the election results were tallied last week, many questions have swirled around the city of Washougal. But one keeps coming up: Where is the mayor?
Since losing her re-election bid Nov. 3, Mayor Stacee Sellers’ presence at City Hall has been virtually nonexistent, according to city employees. The mayor’s absence, coupled with the vacant city administrator position, has left many employees confused about who is in charge. Two days after the election, management notified city employees that the mayor was officially on vacation.
“The mayor has disappeared without giving direction or putting someone in charge of the daily business, such as signing documents,” said one city employee, who asked to remain anonymous. “Some city business items are on hold and citizens are left waiting for answers.”
Sellers is scheduled to return from vacation Monday in time for the evening city council meeting. But in the past few days, rumors have circulated that the mayor is extending her vacation until as late as December.
Sellers did not respond to The Columbian’s request for comment left on her cell phone. She has been under fire since late last month, when a state audit report revealed more than $100,000 in revenue from city-sponsored events was missing and could not be accounted for, and that Sellers had charged a number of personal expenses, including alcoholic beverages, to Washougal in violation of city policy.
In addition to leaving a vacancy in leadership at City Hall, Sellers’ vacation has caused frustration among city council members and employees preparing the 2010 budget, which must be passed by the year’s end, Councilman Jon Russell said.
“For the mayor to just take off a week after the election when we’re in the middle of the budget preparations and not tell anyone where she’s going … there’s no sense for her to stay on,” Russell said.
Before leaving last week, Sellers contacted Mayor Pro Tem Molly Coston and asked her to lead the Nov. 9 city council workshop. Coston agreed. At that meeting, Russell announced his intention to bring a resolution asking for the mayor’s resignation at Monday’s meeting.
Since the workshop, Coston has received calls from city department heads who needed assistance and has stepped up to fill the leadership void at city hall, she said. On Thursday, Coston said she e-mailed department heads, telling them they could refer questions to her while the mayor is absent.
When the mayor has been out of town in the past, employees have been able to contact her by e-mail, and Sellers continued to make administrative decisions, Coston said. Lately, though, those messages have gone unanswered, according to city employees.
If the mayor does not return Monday, Coston said she will sign off on the city council minutes and any ordinances and resolutions passed at the meeting to ensure that city business continues to move forward.
“Maybe a couple of days there was a lack of direction,” Coston said. “Now I think we have the situation well in hand.”
Not having a city administrator in place has made the situation more difficult because normally that person would handle issues that arise at city hall in the mayor’s absence, Coston said. For the most part, though, department heads don’t need or rely on daily oversight by the mayor, she said.
“The city can function pretty well for a week without an executive officer,” Coston said.
Speculation about whether Sellers still resides in the city of Washougal also began after a TV station reported seeing Sellers load a U-Haul outside of her home. Several city employees and council members said they are unsure where the mayor lives or where she’s been vacationing.
“We have no idea where she’s at,” Russell said.
Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.
