SEQUIM — City Manager Steve Burkett has hired a veteran planner in Spokane and Bremerton as interim planning director.
Burkett said Monday that Christopher Hugo is being considered for the permanent position.
Burkett has received more than 20 applications for the permanent planning director position, and said he hopes to begin interviewing finalists by the end of April.
“I’ve seen three or four who look like on paper they’d be a good candidate for us,” Burkett said after announcing the temporary contract hire of Hugo, who began work Monday.
Hugo, who will be paid $7,500 a month for his services, worked for the city of Spokane for more than 20 years as a planner, senior planner and program manager.
Private consultant
He spent six years working for the city of Bremerton as the community development director, and most recently has worked as a consultant through his own company, SoundPlans LLC, where he has consulted on a variety of issues.
Those issues include planning services to study alternatives for a new town center for Fife, assisting the Suquamish tribe on growth management matters and assisting Bellingham on updates to the city zoning code.
“I am pleased that we were able to bring someone with Chris’ level of experience on board as the interim planning director,” Burkett said in a prepared statement.
“His experience in the development of a downtown plan for the city of Bremerton and his work on the comprehensive plans for both Bremerton and Spokane will be very helpful.”
Current planner leaving
Joe Irvin, Sequim’s interim planning director, has resigned from his position, effective April 15.
He will move to South Florida with his family where his wife, Katie, will pursue a graduate degree in occupational therapy.
The resignation and Hugo’s hiring come as Burkett seeks to fill the planning director position formerly held for eight years by Dennis Lefevre, who resigned late last year after he and Burkett agreed to a mutual disassociation.
Burkett anticipates appointing a permanent planning director sometime in May.
Pay range for the position is $83,000 to $106,000, depending on experience, the city manager said.
Hugo’s hiring eliminates the possibility of Sequim having no planning staff once Irvin left.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
