Kent city clerk resigns

Ronald Moore has resigned as the Kent city clerk after three years on the job.

“This is a personnel matter so I can only say his resignation was a mutual decision, and we’re looking for a city clerk with expertise in public records processes and electronic records management,” said Derek Matheson, chief administrative officer, in response to an email about the reasons for Moore’s departure.

Moore, who started with the city in January 2013 after seven years as the Shoreline deputy city clerk, could not be reached for comment. He officially resigned on June 10.

Sue Hanson is serving as interim city clerk. She previously worked in the clerk’s office as a records administrator.

“We plan to advertise the position in a few weeks, perhaps with some help from an executive search firm,” Matheson said about filling the position. “Our goal is to have a city clerk in place this fall.”

Moore replaced Brenda Jacober, who retired in 2012 after 37 years with the city, her last 21 as city clerk. The City Council gave Jacober a standing ovation at her final council meeting. When the city hired Moore for the job, the then 44-year-old told the Kent Reporter in an interview that he planned to stay in Kent for many years.

“This will be the position that I do the same thing that Brenda has done and that’s retire from,” Moore said. “I’m planning on staying here for a long time.”

Moore’s job duties were described on the city’s website as:

“Preserves the city’s official records, maintains and provides accurate information through various media formats to meet the needs of city officials, the community and city departments.”

In what was expected to be a related matter to Moore’s resignation, the council held an executive session on June 7 to, “review the performance of a public employee.”

The council met for about 15 minutes in executive session and didn’t take any action after the meeting when it reconvened in an open public session. Hanson filled in that Tuesday night for Moore as the city clerk at the council meeting.

State law allows councils to review the performance of an employee in executive session. But “discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public,” according to the Revised Code of Washington section 42.30.110.

Matheson declined to comment about the executive session or answer if Moore was the employee under review. He declined to say whether the city asked Moore to resign.

“I can’t divulge the contents of the executive session other than to say we reviewed the performance of a public employee,” Matheson said.

Matheson said it was the first time the council had reviewed the performance of a public employee in the two years he’s been with the city of Kent.

City officials didn’t formally announce Moore’s resignation. Matheson wrote that Hanson would fill in for Moore, who had resigned, in his notes to the council as part of the June 21 council agenda packet. The city sent out a media release when it hired Moore three years ago.

Council President Bill Boyce said he didn’t get a chance to talk to Moore before he left but he had heard Moore might be looking to do something different.

“It’s a big loss,” Boyce said in a phone interview. “He was a big plus and we were glad to have him be a part of the city.”

Besides keeping track of all city records, Moore sent out public notices about meetings, hearings and bids and worked closely with the council to provide agendas, minutes of meetings and other information. He was hired at an annual salary of $74,268. He worked as the Normandy Park city clerk for four years prior to going to Shoreline.

Moore didn’t issue a resignation letter but signed a resignation agreement with the city. The seven-page document, which Matheson released on request by the Kent Reporter, doesn’t address reasons for the resignation. The agreement states that Moore will be paid one month’s salary and receive health coverage through September in return for a signing a statement of no wrongdoing by the city and a release and waiver of claims against the city.