I have been a resident of Bothell for 30 years and a city employee for 32 years. I also hold a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in business management and leadership, so I am well qualified to comment on good management and leadership when I see it.

In my 32 years as a city employee I have seen many city managers come and go, and without a doubt Bob Stowe was the best city manager we’ve ever had. The council who hired Mr. Stowe wanted him to expand the city’s economic base and revitalize the downtown, which is exactly what he was been successfully doing. Very few city managers have the skills to accomplish what Mr. Stowe accomplished.

Some people have characterized Bob Stowe as out-of-control, and they say “he” did this, or “he” did that. Under Bothell’s form of government not a single check gets issued, or a contract signed unless a majority of the council approves that action first. Bob Stowe was performing exactly as a majority of the council directed him.

Mayor [Andy] Rheaume says the city is now moving in a different direction, yet he also says the city is staying the course with economic development. His contradictory statements are not consistent with well-planned organizational change. The first step in organizational change is being clear about the purpose for the change and declaring an articulate vision of the future, i.e. what the council aspires to achieve. The hasty termination of Bob Stowe, coupled with the absence of a declarative statement of the council’s future vision leaves citizens, employees, and investors with a big question mark.

There was no reason to use such haste in the termination of Bob Stowe, there was no misconduct on Mr. Stowe’s part, there were no exigent circumstances that needed to be remedied – absent exigent circumstances the mayor’s haste in this action indicates either poor business practice or a personal vendetta. The mayor could have achieved the same result by announcing a new direction (vision) and giving Mr. Stowe notice of the impending change and facilitate a smooth transition of leadership.

The mayor’s haste in this matter has harmed the city, both as an organization and as a community. His haste in this matter has left hundreds of city employees, as well as citizens questioning what the future holds under the guidance of this new council. I have heard several employees and citizens question the veracity of statements made by the mayor, which does not reflect well on the city, and it does not bode well for building trust in government. There is a phrase that says your character is your destiny. The challenge in the role of mayor is his character is not only his destiny, it is the destiny of Bothell as an organization and as a community.

I hope the mayor and council reflect on these missteps and learn to be better leaders moving forward.

Bob Woolverton, Bothell resident and city employee