Fearing a big party at taxpayer expense, the Snohomish County Council on Wednesday stripped County Executive Aaron Reardon of authority to sign contracts above $5,000.
The decision came after County Council members pressed for a month for how much the Reardons office plans to spend on a Boeing 787 rollout party this summer.
County Council chairman Dave Gossett said the figure for the party could be $250,000. The five-member council approved the measure unanimously.
Deputy county executive Mark Soine declined to provide costs to the County Council in public or in private, Gossett said.
The action stripped Reardon of contract-signing authority above $5,000 for 60 days. The decision specifically affects contracts that council members suspected might be used for a party, including intergovernmental services, leases, change orders, airport related contracts.
Reardon was allowed to keep his authority over some contracts exceeding $50,000, including human services programs, bonds, juvenile court, licensing agreements with county fair booths and emergency management.
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