By Dennis Box

The Courier-Herald

Break out the flak jackets, Mayor Bob Young's final term isn't over yet.

After battling with members of the Bonney Lake City Council Oct. 18 over educational classes the outgoing mayor had signed up for on the city's dime, another flap has risen between Young, a staff member and some council members.

The issue began Oct. 24 when the mayor met with the Chamber of Commerce board of directors and suggested he would loan them an executive to help get the city's economic development plan off the ground. Young did not name who the executive would be, but said the employee would work out of the Bonney Lake Windermere real estate office at 20071 state Route 410 East.

Young met with council members Neil Johnson and Jim Rackley at 2 p.m. the same day at Forest Canyon Coffee. Both Johnson and Rackley are running for mayor.

&#8220The mayor said the loaned executive was (Administrative Services Coordinator) Don Morrison,” Johnson said. &#8220He mentioned this plan would be an additional job for Don.”

Initially Johnson, who is vice president of the chamber board, and Rackley thought the idea sounded good, but both later changed their mind.

&#8220He told Don his office would be at Windermere and he wouldn't be at City Hall,” Johnson said. &#8220I think he wants to remove Don so there is one less source of information that can be shared with the council. Bob has never made one attempt to help the (chamber) board. He's never been at a meeting until Monday.”

According to an anonymous source, Morrison was told on Oct. 24 to be prepared to move to the Windermere office on Oct. 25 and to not report to his City Hall office. By the end of the week the Windermere office had not been set up for Morrison.

&#8220I have two months left and I don't have a lot for Don to do,” Young said. &#8220I felt this was something he could do. I'm not taking his keys away and I'm not taking his salary away. I was giving him another office to do things I didn't think were appropriate in City Hall.”

A city source said Morrison was scheduled to be moved to the Windermere office Tuesday to act as an economic development executive.

&#8220On its face this seemed like a good idea,” Rackley said. &#8220But the mayor has already proven he can't be trusted. He's going to milk this as long as he can. There's only one person left to watch what's going on in City Hall and that's Don.”

Chamber board members appeared to like the idea of a loaned executive, but there were questions about the mayor's motive.

&#8220This is something we've been talking about,” member Randy McKibbon said. &#8220But I didn't know the mayor was involved personally. He's had seven years to do something and all of a sudden now he wants to do this. We're an all-volunteer group and this person could help a lot. As far as I know the mayor has never had anything to do with the economic development plan. In my mind I thought this was going to be a part-time entry level person. ”

The mayor said the idea has changed as he researched legal issues involved with loaning an executive to the chamber.

&#8220My initial thought was to work with the chamber,” Young said. &#8220Now my idea has matured. One facet is to develop a private-public partnership.”

According to the city, Morrison makes $75,888 in salary per year and $25,800 in benefits.

Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman has drawn up an ordinance creating an interim Department of Administrative Services. The measure was to be discussed at the Nov. 1 workshop.

The ordinance calls for the administrative services coordinator to supervise the offices of the city clerk, senior center, human resources, finance and information technology.

&#8220This is meant to generate discussion between the City Council and the mayor,” Swatman said. &#8220Hopefully the mayor will agree to leave things the way they are, but we may have to have an ordinance to keep the staff in place. I'm not too excited about changing anything until a new mayor gets in office. It looks like he is being punitive to those that didn't follow his party line.”

Young denied that political or personal retribution was at issue.

&#8220As far as the election, that has nothing to do with any personnel issues,” Young said. &#8220I'm not vindictive. I don't have to get even. The election is over and I'm going to be OK. They may have done me a favor.”

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.