Black Diamond City Council appoints new administrator

The Black Diamond City Council hired an interim city administrator, Pete Butkus, to fill a a position which has been vacant since 2009.

Butkus began working July 2 and has a contract to serve as the city administrator until Dec. 31.

“I am excited to be here during this time of great change and challenge,” Butkus wrote in an email interview.  “As a former trainer on municipal budget, I am particularly interested in assisting the elected and appointed officials of the city as well as the larger community they serve through development of the 2013 Budget.

The city contracted with Butkus through the Prothman Company, an Issaquah firm specializing in finding executives and staff for cities and government agencies.

Butkus retired from the city of Sammamish in March 2011 where he served as the assistant city manager since 2001.

He also served as the administrative services director for Sammamish and executive director for Washington State Public Works Board.

Butkus was a police officer in Pullman and mayor of the city from from 1980-86.

The contract approved by the City Council and executed by Mayor Rebecca Olness stated Butkus will be paid $75,000.

YarrowBay has agreed to pay $56,250 of the $75,000 and the balance, paid by the city, will come from a vacant senior accounting position that had been charged to the utility fund.

The city has not had a city administrator since Dec. 8, 2009 when Leonard Smith was terminated.

 

Contact Covington Reporter Editor Dennis Box at dbox@maplevalleyreporter.com or 1-425-432-1209 (ext 5050).

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