LYNNWOOD — Confusion and frustration is mounting in City Hall after an assistant city administrator abruptly resigned just 10 days after starting work.
Al Dams, whose first day was Sept. 29, told Mayor Mike McKinnon he was leaving Wednesday and went home.
The administrative assistant serves as the mayor’s right hand, helping run the day-to-day operations of the city, and answers only to the mayor.
The most recent full-time administrative assistant, Michael Kerns, left the job in April after serving four months.
Some City Council members see Dams’ quick exit as part of a trend, and they question McKinnon’s ability to lead the city.
McKinnon said Thursday that "nothing negative occurred" to prompt Dams’ departure.
"It was just a realization that Al liked his other job better than this one," McKinnon said. "If somebody can make something negative about that, then they are just thinking negatively.
"It’s easier to be negative than positive, I guess, and it serves their purpose."
In a short e-mail to council members Wednesday, McKinnon said Dams’ resignation was "disappointing news."
"This was a surprise to me, as I’m sure it is to you," he wrote.
McKinnon said his critics can say what they like, but they don’t know what happens inside City Hall.
"A lot of what’s happening here is not news," McKinnon said. "It’s just regurgitation of old news."
Councilman Jim Smith said he wasn’t surprised by Dams’ resignation and that city employees have had a difficult time working with McKinnon.
"I think what the mayor needs to do is understand that the business culture is one where he has to have respect for his employees," said Smith, who ran against McKinnon in the 2001 mayoral campaign, along with council members Don Gough and Loren Simmonds.
"Until that happens, we’re going to continue losing people, it will continue to be a hostile work environment, and it will be hard to keep people."
Smith said he might suggest a closed-door meeting with the City Council outside of McKinnon’s presence to discuss the matter.
Council President Lisa Utter acknowledged potential personality conflicts with McKinnon, drawing on some recent words from California’s governor-elect.
"As Arnold Schwarzenegger said, ‘Where there’s smoke, there’s probably fire,’" Utter said. "Because it is a position that works so closely with the mayor, there has to be a personality fit. Sometimes that’s hard to find."
Councilwoman Ruth Ross said she was "dumbfounded."
"It appears to be a difficult position to fill, for some reason," she said. "Two young professionals leaving in such a short time without notice is not a good sign. One was bad enough, but two … it’s really too bad."
Dams’ departure is the latest in a series of troubles during McKinnon’s tenure.
In April, Kerns gave only two days’ notice before leaving for a job at Everett Community College. Kerns said at the time that part of the reason he left was a lack of trust between the mayor and the City Council.
In December, the council reprimanded McKinnon, saying he had abused his authority by putting then-Fire Chief Bob Meador on administrative leave and approving a fire-lane change himself.
Dams, 41, came from an administrative position in King County’s animal control division, and said he is returning there. He worked for King County nine years before coming to Lynnwood to earn $72,516 a year.
The mayor interviewed three finalists, and Dams was offered the position. Reached at home Wednesday, Dams said the job wasn’t the right fit.
"It just wasn’t working out," he said. "I just thought it would be best to do it sooner rather than later."
Dams said he took the job expecting to be there for a long time.
"You always go into it that way, but sometimes you just have to be there to know (for sure)," he said.
Asked how he came to realize it wouldn’t work in fewer than two weeks, he said, "I don’t know. I just did."
The assistant city administrator position has gone through some struggles of its own. Shortly after Loren Sands left in the late 1990s after serving many years, the position’s salary was cut by about $30,000, but most of the job requirements stayed intact.
The main change was that department directors no longer reported to the position, but to the mayor instead.
Then, the day after Kerns started the job in December, the City Council nearly cut the position to save money. By a 4-3 vote, Kerns stayed.
Sands filled in after Kerns left in April until Dams came on board. Sands is now the interim public works director while the city looks for a full-time director to fill that vacancy.
Robin Hall, Lynnwood’s human resources director, said she will likely review the original candidate pool to replace Dams.
Reporter Victor Balta:
425-339-3455 or
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