Council names city manager
Posted by Chris Albert on January 31st, 2008
The Puyallup City Council named Acting City Manager Gary McLean as the official city manager in a 4-3 decision at the Jan. 31 special workshop in council chambers.
“It was more timely this time to get it done,” said Mayor Don Malloy, who voted for McLean.
Deputy Mayor George Dill opposed naming McLean city manager, because he felt McLean has only been the acting city manager for three months and the council needed more time to gauge is abilities.
“Why were we rushing into this,” he said. “The city’s not falling apart and I would have liked to taken more time.”
However, McLean has been doing a great job since he took over for departing City Manager Jim Bacon, Dill said.
“It’s just too soon,” he said.
Before filling the position of acting city manager, McLean was the city’s attorney for six years.
His knowledge of the issues in Puyallup is one of his strengths, Malloy said.
“I have personal knowledge of his skills and what he brings to the city,” he said. “I feel the city is on the right track on working on a lot of issues.
“He’s (McLean) had a hand in all of that for the past six years and I want that to continue.”
The city won’t have to deal with a transitional period that an outside hire would need, because of his experience in the city, McLean said.
“I never came to Puyallup hoping to get the job,” McLean said. “I am humbled that they asked me to do it.”
Dill said, he’s been pleased with the work McLean has done and is behind him.
Councilmembers Kathy Turner, Mike Deal and Tami Brouillet also voted for McLean as the city manager. Councilmembers John Knutsen and Rick Hansen opposed the decision.
It is important for the city to show full support for their top executive, Malloy said, it brings stability to staff and certainty of council support.
As for the close decision, he said, in any campaign it would be considered a landslide.
“We haven’t had a president in years who’s gotten four out of seven and given the opportunity I think he’s going to do fine,” Malloy said.
McLean said, he hopes the council’s decision is taken by city staff as a reflection of the hard work they have been doing for the past several months.
The city staff has been short staffed and is still in the process of hiring a human resources director, as well as a financial director.
“There are a lot of things happening and people have been very busy getting things done,” he said. “They are doing a great job.”