POULSBO — Procedural bickering continued this week over the recent appointment of the city’s new finance director.

Last week, tempers flared at the council table over the correct way to confirm a new department head. In the end, a split council decision, with Mayor Donna Jean Bruce breaking the tie, confirmed Poulsbo Accounting Manager Nancy Lien as finance director. She takes over for Donna Bjorkman, who retired this month after 14 years with the city.

Councilman Dale Rudolph, who was absent for last week’s vote, wasted no time April 14 jumping back into the issue. Rudolph had watched the video tape of the previous meeting and said he worried about the public perception of what had happened. He also said he felt that the split vote was actually a symptom of council members’ dissatisfaction with the process, not Lien, and suggested the full council give the new department head a vote of confidence.

“She needs to know for years to come that council is behind her,” Rudolph said, moving for a vote.

But fellow Councilman Jim Henry did not feel the same way.

“Why does she need a vote of confidence? Who else have we done this for?” He questioned.

Rudolph said that in his years on council, he’d never witnessed a department head appointment that didn’t receive unanimous approval from the council.

“If the mayor hadn’t broken the tie, we would not have a finance director today,” he commented.

“Five years ago, if the mayor hadn’t broken the tie, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” Henry countered, referring to his appointment to the city council following the resignation of former Councilwoman Donene Munroe. “I think Nancy has the right to assume that she has our confidence.”

Councilman Mike Regis said his biggest problem with the April 7 vote was he did not feel prepared to make an informed decision at that time. Council members had received a heads-up from Council-man Ed Stern about the upcoming announcement, but Regis said he had wanted the mayor to present them with information on why Lien was selected as the top choice above the other candidates who were interviewed.

“What were her skills? We were just flat out told she was chosen and we were supposed to take it,” he commented.

Regis added that the finance director position is different from others because its duties are laid out in the Poulsbo Municipal Code and that the seat is the only department head that requires an oath of office. But his comments were cut short by Mayor Bruce, who said Lien had already been administered the oath of office and was now the sitting finance director.

“(Lien) has a very high work ethic. You don’t have to like her, you just have to respect her and work with her,” Bruce explained. “It’s only being further hurtful to (Lien) to keep discussing this.”

Bruce then called for the vote. Rudolph, Stern and Councilwoman Kathryn Quade voted for the council’s confidence; Regis and Councilwoman Connie Lord both voted nay; and Henry and Councilman Jeff McGinty abstained from the vote.

“I think the message is loud and clear,” Rudolph said afterwards, outwardly annoyed by the proceedings.

Lord explained that she had voted nay because she felt uncomfortable about changing her vote from the previous week and that she agreed with Henry that such a vote was unnecessary.

“I respect Nancy and I will be happy to work with her and I don’t think we need to take a vote,” Lord commented. “We’re all adults and we can all be professional and she is the finance director.”

Lord added that the council should address the procedural issues that led to Wednesday’s conflicts before the next department head, the new public works director, is announced. Interviews for that position are tentatively set for the second week in July.

“I’d like to see this nailed down in a policy,” Lord suggested. “I’d like to avoid ever having to go through this again.”

Growth and development lobbyist Dan Baskins, one of the few members of the public in the audience Wednesday, agreed. He admonished the council over the incident.

“You guys ought to do your labor sessions in executive session — it’s tacky,” he commented.

Sidebar:

Also at the April 14 council meeting:

•It was announced that the Public Works Department is no longer keeping the Poulsbo Cemetery unlocked during the day due to vandalism and pet owners not picking up after themselves. Those who wish to visit the cemetery can obtain a key at the Public Works office at the corner of 8th and Lincoln

•Council set a public hearing on the proposed Finn Hill annexation for 7:15 p.m. May 12

•Council approved an agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation for $20,000 from the state agency to apply for three grants to help pay for upgrades to State Route 305. The money will primarily pay for a $21,445 contract with Tacoma’s David Evans & Associates to prepare the applications for the three grants and to conduct a traffic study to support them

•Council awarded Poulsbo’s Fischer General Construction a $17,376 contract to build two trellises at the Valborg Oyen Library, which had been requested by the Poulsbo Friends of the Library. The contract, which came in more than $13,500 less than the engineer’s estimate, will be paid for by the $9,500 remaining in the Library Bond sale proceeds, $6,150 from donations to the library building fund and the remainder by the Friends of the library

Last week, tempers flared at the council table over the correct way to confirm a new department head. In the end, a split council decision, with Mayor Donna Jean Bruce breaking the tie, confirmed Poulsbo Accounting Manager Nancy Lien as finance director. She takes over for Donna Bjorkman, who retired this month after 14 years with the city.

Councilman Dale Rudolph, who was absent for last week’s vote, wasted no time April 14 jumping back into the issue. Rudolph had watched the video tape of the previous meeting and said he worried about the public perception of what had happened. He also said he felt that the split vote was actually a symptom of council members’ dissatisfaction with the process, not Lien, and suggested the full council give the new department head a vote of confidence.

“She needs to know for years to come that council is behind her,” Rudolph said, moving for a vote.

But fellow Councilman Jim Henry did not feel the same way.

“Why does she need a vote of confidence? Who else have we done this for?” He questioned.

Rudolph said that in his years on council, he’d never witnessed a department head appointment that didn’t receive unanimous approval from the council.

“If the mayor hadn’t broken the tie, we would not have a finance director today,” he commented.

“Five years ago, if the mayor hadn’t broken the tie, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” Henry countered, referring to his appointment to the city council following the resignation of former Councilwoman Donene Munroe. “I think Nancy has the right to assume that she has our confidence.”

Councilman Mike Regis said his biggest problem with the April 7 vote was he did not feel prepared to make an informed decision at that time. Council members had received a heads-up from Council-man Ed Stern about the upcoming announcement, but Regis said he had wanted the mayor to present them with information on why Lien was selected as the top choice above the other candidates who were interviewed.

“What were her skills? We were just flat out told she was chosen and we were supposed to take it,” he commented.

Regis added that the finance director position is different from others because its duties are laid out in the Poulsbo Municipal Code and that the seat is the only department head that requires an oath of office. But his comments were cut short by Mayor Bruce, who said Lien had already been administered the oath of office and was now the sitting finance director.

“(Lien) has a very high work ethic. You don’t have to like her, you just have to respect her and work with her,” Bruce explained. “It’s only being further hurtful to (Lien) to keep discussing this.”

Bruce then called for the vote. Rudolph, Stern and Councilwoman Kathryn Quade voted for the council’s confidence; Regis and Councilwoman Connie Lord both voted nay; and Henry and Councilman Jeff McGinty abstained from the vote.

“I think the message is loud and clear,” Rudolph said afterwards, outwardly annoyed by the proceedings.

Lord explained that she had voted nay because she felt uncomfortable about changing her vote from the previous week and that she agreed with Henry that such a vote was unnecessary.

“I respect Nancy and I will be happy to work with her and I don’t think we need to take a vote,” Lord commented. “We’re all adults and we can all be professional and she is the finance director.”

Lord added that the council should address the procedural issues that led to Wednesday’s conflicts before the next department head, the new public works director, is announced. Interviews for that position are tentatively set for the second week in July.

“I’d like to see this nailed down in a policy,” Lord suggested. “I’d like to avoid ever having to go through this again.”

Growth and development lobbyist Dan Baskins, one of the few members of the public in the audience Wednesday, agreed. He admonished the council over the incident.

“You guys ought to do your labor sessions in executive session — it’s tacky,” he commented.

Sidebar:

Also at the April 14 council meeting:

•It was announced that the Public Works Department is no longer keeping the Poulsbo Cemetery unlocked during the day due to vandalism and pet owners not picking up after themselves. Those who wish to visit the cemetery can obtain a key at the Public Works office at the corner of 8th and Lincoln

•Council set a public hearing on the proposed Finn Hill annexation for 7:15 p.m. May 12

•Council approved an agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation for $20,000 from the state agency to apply for three grants to help pay for upgrades to State Route 305. The money will primarily pay for a $21,445 contract with Tacoma’s David Evans & Associates to prepare the applications for the three grants and to conduct a traffic study to support them

•Council awarded Poulsbo’s Fischer General Construction a $17,376 contract to build two trellises at the Valborg Oyen Library, which had been requested by the Poulsbo Friends of the Library. The contract, which came in more than $13,500 less than the engineer’s estimate, will be paid for by the $9,500 remaining in the Library Bond sale proceeds, $6,150 from donations to the library building fund and the remainder by the Friends of the library