Sequim’s newly hired city manager, Matthew Huish, has been given an unbelievably generous contract — complete with an expensive golden parachute — by the usual one-vote City Council majority (Armacost, Kincaid, Larkin and Pence).
Every member of that slim majority was appointed to the council or ran unopposed, but they feel free to spend taxpayer money with utter abandon.
Mr. Huish’s contract will give him a huge salary of $180,000 per year, $17,000 in moving expenses, and 12 months of severance pay and benefits.
Stellar Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush, who was forced to resign with no explanation by the same four council members, received some $40,000 less in salary and six months of severance benefits. Note that Port Angeles, with a much higher population, pays their city manager $156,000.
Such generosity must mean Mr. Huish is a highly experienced, hugely valued professional in his field, right? Actually, Mr. Huish is the least qualified of the candidates interviewed for the job. He has only three-plus years of experience in city government. Mr. Bush had over 20, and all the other interviewed candidates had more than Mr. Huish.
Even though he was technically cleared of sexual harassment charges in Sandy, Utah, Mr. Huish was described by some city staff there as abrasive, unprofessional, condescending, and difficult to work with (https://tinyurl.com/k4h6udjh).
Why did Mayor Armacost’s loyalists rush such a questionable candidate into this all-important position? And why pay far more taxpayer money for far less competence? Vote them out in November.
Marsha Maguire
Sequim