Sunnyside City Council votes to appoint Jim Bridges as city manager pending contract approval

Sunnyside City Council voted to appoint Jim Bridges as city manager pending contract negotiations and formal council approval, the council announced after returning from an executive session. The meeting opened at 5:02 p.m.; council adjourned at 6:03 p.m.

The motion to appoint Bridges was made and seconded immediately after the executive session. The sponsor framed the vote as a matter of institutional responsibility, saying, “my position today is not personal, political. This is about government accountability and legal responsibility as city council.” The sponsor was identified in the meeting as the member who moved the appointment.

The council conducted a roll call on the motion. Councilors Vasquez, Sasati, Chavez, Gaibane and Dolan recorded yes votes. Deputy Mayor Hart voted no, and another council member announced, “I too vote no.” The presiding official announced that the motion carries. The appointment is subject to contract negotiations and a subsequent approval step by the council.

Council cited state open-meeting law when moving into executive session. The presiding speaker referenced provisions of the Revised Code of Washington governing when executive sessions may be used to evaluate applicants for public employment and clarified that any final hiring decision and salary setting must occur in an open meeting.

Meeting materials and exact appropriation amounts referenced at the start of the session were not specified in the audio record. Earlier in the meeting a speaker noted recent work with Mr. Gonzales and mentioned additional appropriation funds that “are gonna benefit the city,” but did not provide a dollar amount or ordinance number.

The council did not take additional formal actions before adjourning at 6:03 p.m. The next procedural step indicated in the meeting record is completion of contract negotiations and returning to the council for final approval of the appointment.