Steve Klein, left, talks with city administrator candidate
Stefan Chatwin at April 7th Yelm Chamber event
Photo credit: Michael Wagar, Nisqually Valley News

On May 3rd, the Yelm City Council was formally notified that Yelm City Administrator candidate “Stefan Chatwin withdrew his application for the position, seeking other opportunities.”
“The City Administrator position remains open. The City continues to seek an experience manager and will keep your informed on progress to fill this position.”


Editor’s Note:
This whole situation is pathetic!
And I am using the strongest language I can in a public forum.

As reported here previously, Mayor Harding did little due diligence on this guy’s past, which would have saved precious time in getting the city administrator post filled. Or if Harding did have information on Chatwin, did he withhold that from the Yelm City Council? A cursory look on the internet investigated here plus a few phone calls to officials of his former position in Hayden, Idaho would have saved embarrassment to Mr. Harding. And, Harding has not introduced any other candidate to the community. The City of Yelm is almost a year away from the June 5, 2015 announced resignation of former City Administrator Shelly Badger and we still have NO replacement? This is such detriment to the legacy of such a fine public servant as Badger.

Harding’s actions in this case are pathetic and the clearest demonstration yet of what a poor manager and leader this mayor truly is!
That the mayor was a no-show at the May 3rd Council session because of a stated conflict-of-interest on the agenda is pure nonsense. Harding handled this same conflict-of-interest at a previous council session by turning over that part of the meeting to the Mayor Pro-tem. Why did he not do that again? Or did he miss this meeting because of embarrassment on the Chatwin withdrawal?
If such is the case, wouldn’t that would the act of a coward in not standing-up for his own decisions?

I have often mentioned here if Yelm would have a full-time city administrator or if Harding would remain the self-anointed City Administrator prior to the end of his 2017 term.
Afterall, Harding’s interim part-time City Administrator is not full-time hands-on and only serves “as-needed” to quote Harding, based on the mayor’s determination.


– Update: May 5, 2015
The Nisqually Valley News online edition out today clearly addressed two points I noted above:
1. “Harding knew about those allegations at the time he offered Chatwin the job in Yelm.”
Ed. Note: An effective leader filling the city’s top post would have looked at ALL information available on a candidate they are to appoint.

2. “Harding did not look into any other allegations made against Chatwin.”
Ed. Note: With all of the other culpable evidence in newspaper stories dating back 7 years on the internet, why not?
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