EDMONDS — Under a mayoral order announced Tuesday, Edmonds city staff can now report complaints about elected leaders to Human Resources.
Mayor Mike Nelson said the new system comes in response to concerns shared by city staff, as reported by The Daily Herald. There has never been a way for staff to report “bullying” by City Council members, he said.
“I will not tolerate from council members the bullying of our city employees,” the mayor said in a news release. “To belittle, intimidate, and humiliate the people who are dedicated to our city every waking hour, is unacceptable.”
Now Human Resources staff “will promptly determine if the reported event rises to the level that an investigation is appropriate.”
Human Resources is expected to address staff members’ concerns.
“That could be, for example, saying: ‘You, council member, are no longer allowed to communicate to these people,’” the mayor said.
Ultimately, however, council members are only accountable to the public. The procedure, Nelson said, “sort of furthers that — shining a light and sort of daylighting, exposing what is occurring.”
“That, by itself,” he said, “I am hopeful will discourage that behavior.”
Council President Vivian Olson said she first learned of the policy from a reporter Tuesday afternoon.
“It saddens me that the Mayor doesn’t work with Councilmember(s) directly to resolve any communications concerns,” Olson said in an email, “and further, that he distributes a policy naming Council to staff and press without Council engagement on (or even knowledge of) the policy.”
Councilmember Susan Paine said she hopes the policy encourages the City Council to “be more introspective” about how they speak to city staff.
“It looks like there’s going to be some way to show a pattern and practice of individuals who maybe aren’t as self aware,” Paine said. “And help them realize their impact.”
‘Mindset of distrust’
Earlier this year, at least four Edmonds city staff members responded to an informal workplace survey with concerns about their relationship with the City Council and mayor, according to records obtained by The Herald.
Some aired grievances about how their relationship with elected officials impedes regular processes like code updates.
“It is hard for me to look to the future when it doesn’t appear that the staff really has a voice because of the relationship that occurs with the council and mayor,” one employee wrote in an email March 22. “… I have felt over the years very grateful that I don’t have to interact with council and the mayor because they have accused staff of having hidden agendas, or the hoops they make us go through to prove what we are doing is in the best interest to the public, and many more reasons.”
The survey was open-ended, asking employees to submit concerns ranging from climate change to wealth disparity to workforce shortages. Most staff pointed to a need to mend their relationship with elected officials.
“I also think there needs to be a shift regarding communication and interaction amongst staff, council, boards, etc.,” one staffer wrote. “… Communication may help but I think there seems to be a mindset of distrust amongst staff, elected officials, and the public.”
About 40% of staff responded to the survey, according to an email obtained by The Herald through a public records request. Respondents reportedly identified “political polarization,” “regional collaboration” and “trust between staff, mayor and council” as the top political issues.
In addition to reviewing public records, The Herald interviewed 10 people — current and former Edmonds city staff members, elected officials and a city commission member — to corroborate staff concerns about the City Council.
All were hesitant to speak on the record, out of fear of retaliation or “blowback” from current elected officials.
In late 2020, public information officer Jamie Holter left the city of Edmonds. She had been hired about nine months earlier. She had about 15 years of cumulative experience working in communications for public agencies, including the state Department of Transportation and King County.
Edmonds was different, she said.
“I was used to a much more collaborative atmosphere,” she told The Herald, “with lots of cross-communication and transparency.”
‘Staff morale is low’
As far back as a decade ago, a departing staff member pointed to “hostile” emails from Councilmember Diane Buckshnis as a reason for leaving. Buckshnis declined to comment for this story.
She has said many bullying allegations from outgoing staff members cannot be addressed because they are “past history.”
Some argue it’s not in the past.
“I can attest that city staff morale is low right now,” Edmonds staffer Brad Shipley wrote on his personal Twitter account in February, “and there may be another wave of folks quitting soon. Not because of the executive administration, but the legislative. It is not a new problem either. Many of the key employees who left in recent years blame Council. ”
The Council Code of Conduct is intended to help insulate city employees from council members. Buckshnis referred The Herald to former councilmember Joan Bloom for questions about the code.
Bloom declined to comment in an email. She included Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson, the City Council and some city staff on the email. She said a past Herald story, including comments from four city employees, made the city look bad. Therefore, she claimed, those staff members had violated the employee handbook.
In the email, Bloom said Shipley violated the handbook, too, with his tweet. Bloom reported the tweet to Edmonds Development Services Director Susan McLaughlin when it was first posted.
“I want to respect my employee’s ability to speak freely especially when he clearly depicts it is coming from his personal point of view,” McLaughlin replied. “However, I recognize the code of conduct concern and will be working with the employee and HR to clarify our personnel policies, in relation to social media freedoms.”
Shipley’s tweet was apparently sent on a personal device on personal time.
According to the city employee handbook, when on city time, “Only those employees or officials who are duly authorized to speak on behalf of the City to the media, to analysts or in public gatherings may speak/write in the name of the City to any electronic media, such as newsgroup, chat room, blog, or social media.”
The handbook goes on to say, “Except as noted in this policy, City employees are otherwise free to fully exercise their constitutional First Amendment rights.”
Isabella Breda: 425-339-3192; isabella.breda@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @BredaIsabella.
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