Kennewick losing its deputy city manager weeks before the city’s administrator retires

Kennewick is in the process of trying to find its next city manager, and now the person who some thought could step into the top role next has decided to move on.

Kennewick Finance Director and Deputy City Manager Dan Legard was City Manager Marie Mosley’s recommendation for the person to succeed her when she retires at the end of the year, but after months of the council trying to determine what process to use for its administrator search, Legard is out too.

Legard has taken a new job with the Chelan Public Utility District as its new Chief Financial Officer, according to a copy of his letter of resignation obtained by the Tri-City Herald.

An archived job listing for the PUD’s Chief Financial and Risk Officer shows a salary range significantly higher than Kennewick’s maximum for the city manager role, which tops out just over $200,000 annually according to the city’s most recent salary schedule.

A job description from the city’s governmentjobs.com profile lists a salary range of $180,000 to $234,000 for the city manager. It’s unclear if this range is what they will use for the upcoming job listing.

The max for Legard’s role with the city was just under $192,000.

The Chelan PUD listing for his new role shows a salary range of about $247,000 to $308,000, with the potential to make up to $370,000 with long enough tenure.

Mosley wrote in an email to city staff that Legard was a well-respected administrator, member of the community and Washington state.

“I have had the honor and privilege to work with Dan for the majority of my career here at the city of Kennewick,” Mosley wrote. “I really cannot put into words the depth of exceptional service Dan has given the organization and our community for over two decades. We will all miss Dan and are so excited for him as he enters this next chapter, which is well deserved.”

Mosley will be responsible for filling the Finance Director role, while the next city manager will determine who their deputy city manager will be.

Public Relations Manager Evelyn Lusignan noted that the roles may not be combined in the future, and that the city has an strong staff in place to help with the coming transitions.

Until recently the city had two deputy city managers. They did not reassign the second deputy city manager role that retired Kennewick Police Chief Ken Hohenberg had been performing until his retirement in February 2022.

In Legard’s letter of resignation, he thanked Mosley for being a great mentor, leader and friend. He said that their time working together helped shape him as a leader and that the successes he has had in his career and the opportunity he is now taking would not have been possible without her.

“I feel incredibly blessed to have worked for this organization for over 21 years, and I am grateful for the many opportunities that you and the city of Kennewick have provided to me over this time,” Legard wrote.

“To serve the city that I grew up in and have now raised my own family in as well has truly been a privilege and has meant a great deal to me. I fully expected to finish my career at the city of Kennewick, but I have been offered an incredible opportunity to become the new CFO at the Chelan County PUD, and I simply cannot pass it up. I will miss working with you, the leadership team, and the many talented people in the Finance Department and across the entire organization.”

Kennewick to pay consulting firm $24,000 to help find its next city manager

City manager search

In July, Mosley announced her intent to retire on Dec. 31, and the city council held several closed-door executive session discussions on how to proceed before settling on a formal search process earlier this month.

The council approved paying a search firm $24,000 to design the process, advertise, narrow down candidates and arrange interviews.

Several council members made a point of thanking Legard for his service to the city, and noting that they felt the decision to go with a search firm was the appropriate move for a city administrator they hope will guide Kennewick for decades to come.

The city did not do a formal search in 2011 when Mosley was promoted into the role from interim city manager.

GMP Consultants is the same search firm that recently helped Pasco find their new city manager. That role went to the Deputy City Manager Adam Lincoln.

Legard wrote that he will do his best to ensure the city is in a good position with his departure and promised he would be available for any questions or assistance that might be needed after he has left. He has been the city’s finance director since 2003.

Legard was promoted to the dual role in 2011, shortly after Mosley took on the role of city manager. She was the city’s finance director before Legard.

The search for the next city manager is expected to take about three months, putting the estimated final interviews and hiring selection the last week of December.

Semifinalists would be reviewed and finalists announced in early December, according to the tentative schedule presented to the council earlier this month.

As the leader of the largest city in the Tri-Cities metro area, at a current estimated population of more than 86,000, the next city manager will be stepping into big shoes.

The city of Kennewick’s 2023-24 biennial budget is $425 million and has more than 420 employees. The city is in the process of finishing up capital and strategic plans that will guide Kennewick’s path through the end of the decade.