Mysterious probe of unnamed Lynnwood council member nears end

LYNNWOOD — The investigation of a Lynnwood City Council member for allegedly inappropriate conduct could be completed and results delivered to city leaders in less than two weeks.

City Council President George Hurst said Wednesday he anticipates the report will be done by June 20. The city attorney’s office is handling the process but an outside group was hired to carry out the inquiry independently.

Hurst said he would expect the report to be made public after the council gets a chance to review it. How quickly the release happens may depend on whether the subject of the investigation seeks to redact portions or block its release.

Hurst said he doesn’t think the council member — whom he did not identify — will do either.

“I just hope we can get this behind us and we can move forward on other matters,” he said, citing a desire to focus on housing issues, budget concerns and putting unspent federal COVID aid to good use.

The City Council authorized the investigation May 9 at the request of Mayor Christine Frizzell. The council did so on a 6-0 vote following an executive session. Hurst is the only member of the council who has received an update since then.

Neither the mayor nor any council member has said who is the subject, nor what prompted the action.

“I do not know where it all started,” Hurst said this week.

Frizzell, in a phone message Wednesday, said the investigation is continuing.

“The city attorney tells me it will take as long as it takes but they don’t anticipate it to drag out,” she said.

The council member who is the subject of the inquiry could have requested that the discussion May 9 be held in public rather than in a closed session but chose not to do so, Hurst said. Hence, the council president doesn’t think the person will impede public release of the findings.

City Council members reached in recent days said they had received no updates since May 9 and planned to let the process play out.

Councilmember Jim Smith said he’s not “pushing anything” and Councilmember Joshua Binda said he hoped investigators “get the information that’s needed and let the public know.”

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dospueblos.