MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The city’s manager, Connie Fessler, will be taking a two-month medical leave of absence from City Hall so she can focus on healing herself.
Fessler, who has been the head of the city since 1996, has fibromyalgia, a chronic condition for which there is no cause or cure, she said.
“For years, I’ve been successful in managing the symptoms of this condition, which used to come in occasional flare-ups that would put me down for about a week,” Fessler said.
But over the past year, she said, the flare-ups have occurred with greater frequency to the point where she now is in constant pain and always fatigued.
“Based upon my doctor’s advice and the support of my executive leadership team and City Council, I’m taking this leave to relieve stress from my life and to be able to focus my time on treatment of the symptoms,” Fessler said.
Fessler’s leave started on Nov. 1 and she and her doctor are “optimistic,” she said, that she will be able to improve her health over the next two months and return to work on Jan. 3, 2005.
In the interim Scott Hugill will be acting City Manager. Hugill joined Mountlake Terrace in August as administrative services director. He is the former city administrator of Leavenworth.
Fessler said, “He’ll do a great job.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
