Woodland’s outgoing administration left the city paying over $200,000 in severance to three terminated employees.
Former mayor Will Finn terminated City Administrator Peter Boyce and Public Works Director Tracy Coleman, effective Dec. 31, 2023. Police Lt. Jennifer Ortiz’s pay was not approved in the council’s 2024 budget, resulting in her release from duty according to a press release by the City of Woodland.
Finn announced in an email he released Boyce and Coleman due to a “new environment of hostility” that would be “coming forward as a standard daily practice,” as reported by Longview Daily News.
Newly appointed mayor Todd Dinehart began untangling the legalities of the terminations and called a special meeting with an executive session, filed under Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 42.30.110, for potential litigation on New Year’s Day.
The Woodland City Council reconvened on Jan. 2 for a regularly scheduled meeting and shared public details regarding the terminations.
Dinehart stated the executive session on Jan. 1 was to discuss the situation with council members and call upon outside legal counsel.
“If you look at RCW code, he had the right as mayor to terminate employees,” Dinehart said during the council meeting Jan. 2. “It did cost our city over 200,000 dollars.”
Severance pay to Boyce, Coleman and Ortiz came from the 2023 actuals, according to DInehart. Ortiz took Woodland Police Department wellness dog, Bolo, in addition to severance pay.
“It’s not uncommon for an outgoing administration to change contracts,” Dinehart said. “It is uncommon for the outgoing administration to terminate people.”
Dinehart plans to appoint an interim public works director. More updates, including potential hires, will come as the situation develops, Dinehart said.
Hiring contracts for Coleman and Ortiz were amended on Nov. 20 by the Woodland City Council. Coleman’s severance for termination without cause was increased from four months of wages to six. The amendments were approved 4-3, with Monte Smith, John Burke and Melissa Doughty in opposition.
The council unanimously approved Ortiz’s contract from three years to one, and the amendment authorized her to take possession of wellness dog Bolo should the city eliminate the canine program.
Boyce's hiring contract provided six months of severance wages and was not amended during the meeting.
During the meeting, Smith, Doughty and Burke expressed concerns about the amendments and potential cost.
“My biggest concern is wrongful termination brings a lawsuit to the city. It’s happened in the past, and we’ve paid out more than the salaries here that we’re talking about,” Smith said.
Council member Terry Hall stated the severance extensions would not have any associated costs as long as the employees were not terminated without cause.
“They will never come into play as long as there is not a termination without cause,” Hall said. “If there was a cavalier move to terminate somebody without cause … the city could be subject to a lot of things.”
Editor's note: Changes were made post-publication to correct information regarding City Administrator Peter Boyce's hiring contract, which already included six months of severance and was not amended during the Nov. 20 Woodland City Council meeting.
