Edmonds council ratifies third amendment to extend Phil Williams as acting public works and utilities director
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Summary
The council on Aug. 4 authorized the mayor to deviate from certain personnel provisions and approved a third amendment extending Phil Williams' acting appointment through Aug. 31, 2025; council clarified the arrangement is a professional services agreement, not an employment contract.
The Edmonds City Council on Aug. 4 approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to deviate from city code provisions and to enter into a third amendment extending the city's agreement with Phil Williams to serve as acting public works and utilities director through Aug. 31, 2025.
Councilmember Nand moved the extension and later amended the motion to include reading the resolution into the record. Councilmember Dash raised a technical clarification during debate: the agreement with Mr. Williams is a professional services agreement rather than an employment agreement. Dash successfully proposed replacing the wording "employment agreement" with "professional services agreement," and the council unanimously approved the change. Council then voted unanimously to ratify the extension and the related resolution.
The resolution cited Edmonds City Code provisions in ECC 2.10.01 and ECC 2.10.03 that govern acting appointments, including prior amendments to Mr. Williams' original agreement and the mayor's authority to request council consent to deviate from timelines or compensation rules. The resolution also ratified prior deviations from compensation provisions in earlier agreements with Mr. Williams.
Councilmembers offered brief comments thanking administration for the continuation of the staffing arrangement while the city continues recruitment for a permanent director. The motion passed without objection.
The council directed staff to finalize the third amendment consistent with the resolution language adopted on Aug. 4.