intense debate and argument over the last several years.
TOM CORRIGAN, Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
 |
| City Manager Strouder recently offered to have his contract cancelled. Here seen making a statement at the Council meeting. ph credit - |
But now it is reaching the level of nearly operatic drama.
"I just think, to me, it's intimidation and political thuggery. It's an attempt to avoid talking about the facts." said Councilmember John Hendrickson. (Bothell/Kenmore Reporter)
Even though Kenmore has built a new City Hall in the last couple years, it was also not without controversy. Councilmember John Hendrickson has been relected twice, while continuing to raise many questions about the budget, and how the City conducts it's fiscal policies. Clmbr Hendrickson is an accountant by trade and has challenged the Council, Mayor and City Manager about the way the Capitol Budget is used for road maintenance and other concerns.
The Council has made many threats, and has censured Clmbr Hendrickson, tried to sue him, and also threatened to try to expell him from office, though it is doubtful that would hold up in court.
Last month, the City Manager made a statement at a council meeting asking to be released from his contract. But the Council denied him, saying the had confidence in him to carry our his job.
"In over 40 years of serving the public, I have never encountered a more disruptive, manipulative, destructive and dangerous elected official or citizen than councilmember John Hendrickson," Stouder asserted.
Thus far, John Hendrickson still has many supporters in the public. The fight does not relate specifically to any partisan-party politics, but more to factions in the City. Hendrickson has also championed environmental protections for local streams.
Mayor Dave Baker has made an issue of his arguments with Hendrickson. Also, last year Mayor Baker ran for State Senate against Maralyn Chase. Chase won the election overwhelmingly.
Article from Bothell/Kenmore Reporter below:
Kenmore City Council feud boils over, city manager asks to be released from contract
By TOM CORRIGAN
Bothell Reporter Staff writer
Jan 25 2011
With some harsh words directed at City Councilman John Hendrickson, Kenmore City Manager Fred Stouder asked Jan. 24 that local legislators consider terminating his contract as soon as possible.
Reading from a prepared statement during council's regular meeting, Stouder said he made the request as a direct result of the alleged "continued disruptive behavior" of Hendrickson.
"In over 40 years of serving the public, I have never encountered a more disruptive, manipulative, destructive and dangerous elected official or citizen than councilmember John Hendrickson," Stouder asserted.
Stouder added a couple of times that city managers should have thick skins and called his request unusual.
"However, I strongly believe that my being clear about John Hendrickson's actions and their effects and my making this statement may be the most important contributions I can make to this community and future city governments," he said.
Hendrickson has become a controversial figure, drawing the ire of not just Stouder, but also the rest of Kenmore City Council, which has voted to censure Hendrickson twice. Hendrickson is outspoken in his criticism of how the city is run, particularly regarding financial matters. He has repeatedly insisted that Kenmore is running up a deficit, something Stouder and Mayor David Baker have just as repeatedly denied.
Added Hendrickson following the meeting: "I just think, to me, it's intimidation and political thuggery. It's an attempt to avoid talking about the facts."
Posts
Since Janet has not seen fit to post this, the Kenmore City Council has decided to file suit against John Hendrickson, thus wasting precious public monies on a witch hunt at the behest of city manager.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=22686
In the above story, a citizen reports that Mayor Dave Baker telephone a citizen after she spoke at general public comment to tell her she was ignorant and otherwise intimidate her.
More about the KUOW story and Stouder is here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pnwlocalnews.com/north_king/bkn/news/116752824.html
“He (Stouder) was very frightening and very problematic; he was so good with losing his professionalism,” wrote Debra Richards, a former editor of the Prosser Record Bulletin.
Richards claimed Stouder lost his temper, used foul language and walked out of at least three public meetings to the best of her recollection.
After Stouder left Prosser, that city paid out $175,000 to settle a public records lawsuit filed by a resident.
In the lawsuit, resident Larry Loges, a consistent public critic of the Prosser administration, claimed the city, while Stouder was administrator, failed to fill or improperly filled 41 public record requests made by Loges.
Loges also filed a federal lawsuit over a separate incident in which he claimed Prosser police, at the direction of Stouder, improperly removed from his property signs displaying anti-government messages. In an e-mail sent Hendrickson, Loges claims that suit was settled by Prosser for $85,000. That statement could not be confirmed.
Referring to Stouder as “Freddy,” Loges also claimed Stouder tried to have him arrested during a Prosser council meeting “because I was asking questions and questioning his statements.”
Yes thanks, the story has played several times this week on KUOW. Worth listening to for another aspect of this continuing saga. The City Manager, Mayor and rest of the sheep on the council, have been stuck in a tape loop seemingly. They are unable to separate themselves from their hard and fast positions.
ReplyDeleteIt is yet another case of "group think", just like what goes on in Shoreline and Seattle School Districts. However in the case of the Seattle School Board, they finally stepped up and did the independent investigation needed to tell truth to power.
That's what John Hendrickson is doing in Kenmore, but he is isolated and derided. But very brave.
Here is a followup to the KUOW story, from the Kenmore Reporter:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pnwlocalnews.com/north_king/bkn/news/116752824.html
At a Feb. 22 council meeting, Hendrickson took square aim at Stouder, reading from e-mails he later said he solicited from the city manager’s critics in at least one town where Stouder previously worked.
Hendrickson claimed the letters proved a pattern of behavior by Stouder, a pattern allegedly including not being able to get along with specific councilmembers or public critics....
In the comments he made during that meeting, Hendrickson said the three e-mails he gathered paint Stouder as displaying “anger management issues” while he was city administrator in Prosser, Wash.
“He was very frightening and very problematic; he was so good with losing his professionalism,” wrote Debra Richards, a former editor of the Prosser Record Bulletin.
Richards claimed Stouder lost his temper, used foul language and walked out of at least three public meetings to the best of her recollection.
After Stouder left Prosser, that city paid out $175,000 to settle a public records lawsuit filed by a resident.
In the lawsuit, resident Larry Loges, a consistent public critic of the Prosser administration, claimed the city, while Stouder was administrator, failed to fill or improperly filled 41 public record requests made by Loges.
Loges also filed a federal lawsuit over a separate incident in which he claimed Prosser police, at the direction of Stouder, improperly removed from his property signs displaying anti-government messages. In an e-mail sent Hendrickson, Loges claims that suit was settled by Prosser for $85,000. That statement could not be confirmed.
NOTE: the above behavior is similar to the Shoreline City Council and its former City Manager Steve Burkett who was terminated at his former positions and left under similar circumstances.