Politics & Government
Mayor to Debi Humann: You Can Come Back Till End of Year, Then Leave Again
It is not yet determined if the former HR director will accept the offer, which comes with a proviso: She will be laid off at the beginning of the year due to an elimination of the position.
In a move that must have some scratching their heads, Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling has decided to for the end of the year, then let her go since the City Council recently voted to eliminate her position.
"Mayor Dave Earling has come to a decision on the recent whistleblower retaliation claim brought forth by former Human Resources Director Debi Humann," said interim HR Director Carrie Hite.
From Earling: “Having been fully advised, I was not able to reach a conclusion that (former Mayor Mike) Cooper retaliated against Debi Humann, but in light of various apparent misunderstandings between Mr. Cooper and Ms. Humann, I am going to give Ms. Humann the benefit of the doubt.
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“As a result, I am reinstating Ms. Humann as the Human Resources director for the remainder of the year. At the end of the year, she will be laid off due to the City Council’s elimination of the position."
Hite said Earling is now contacting Humann to determine a date of reinstatement.
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It is not clear whether Humann would want to return. In addition, Earling could attempt to bring back the HR director position, which the Council voted to discontinue before Earling became mayor, but with a new director.
At a City Council meeting on Dec. 6, Earling made it clear that human resources issues were backing up and that he planned to hire temporary help. Hite, the temporary director, is also director of the city's Park, Recreations and Cultural Services.
Former Mayor Cooper fired Humann because he said he'd lost confidence in her ability to do her job.