City Council fires city manager, hires former community development director
January 15, 2010
NEW — 6 p.m. Jan. 15, 2010
At a special City Council meeting Tuesday night, the City Council voted 6-1 to terminate City Manager John Starbard’s contract without cause, effective immediately. The only dissenting vote was that of Councilman Sonny Putter.
In terminating Starbard’s contract without cause, the city must pay Starbard his full salary for six months as severance pay. Starbard’s total severance pay will be $66,500, as his annual salary was $133,000.
In another 6-1 vote, with Putter dissenting once more, the council appointed Rob Wyman, former community development director for the city, to take over as interim city manager for the next six months.
Wyman worked for the city from 1998-2006.
Public Works director, parks commissioner resign
January 15, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Jan. 15, 2010
Public Works Director Maiya Andrews submitted her resignation to then-City Manager John Starbard Jan. 11, and her resignation will take effect Feb. 10.
However, the news was not publicly announced until Jan. 13, when interim City Manager Rob Wyman sent an e-mail to city staff members.
Also, Parks Commissioner Curtis Gray submitted his resignation to city officials yesterday morning, and his resignation took effect immediately.
BREAKING NEWS — City Council fires city manager, cuts more than $1 million from budget
January 13, 2010
NEW — 12:22 a.m. Jan. 13, 2010
At a special City Council meeting Tuesday night, the City Council voted 6-1 to terminate City Manager John Starbard’s contract, effective immediately.
The City Council appointed Rob Wyman, a former community development director for the city, to take over as interim city manager for the next six months.
During the four-hour meeting, the City Council also cut more than $1 million of expenses from its 2010 budget. Of those cuts, more than $800,000 was cut from the 2010 capital budget.
U.S. Postal Service denies Newcastle ZIP code appeal
January 12, 2010
NEW — 4:04 p.m. Jan. 12, 2010
The post office denied an appeal by Newcastle to create a ZIP code for the city.
Last September, City Manager John Starbard wrote a letter to U.S. Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., and asked the agency to reconsider the Seattle District’s decision to deny the city a ZIP code.
In December, the city received a response from James W. Kiser, manager of delivery operations for the postal service.
“After a thorough review of the case file and the details of both the Seattle District and Western Area office decisions, it is the final determination of this office to support the denial of your request,” Kiser wrote in his letter.
Council picks Bellevue attorney to succeed Fred Jarrett in state Senate
January 11, 2010
NEW — 2:40 p.m. Jan. 11, 2010
The next lawmaker to represent Newcastle in the state Senate will be Democrat Randy Gordon, a Bellevue attorney.
Gordon succeeds Fred Jarrett, a Democrat who stepped down last month after County Executive Dow Constantine named the then-lawmaker to the No. 2 spot in King County government. King County Council members appointed Gordon to the open seat Monday, the opening day of the 60-day legislative session.
Members approved the appointment in a unanimous vote.
County Council members picked a successor from a list of candidates submitted by local Democratic Party leaders. The new senator won the support of most of the 41st District precinct-committee officers during a Jan. 5 meeting.
