Bellingham mayor fires two top managers as part of ‘new direction’ for the city
Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund dismissed two of the city’s top managers Monday, saying that she is seeking a “new direction” for her administration.
Public Works Director Eric Johnston and Human Resources Director Elizabeth Monahan have been dismissed, Lund said in a Tuesday email to The Bellingham Herald.
“Both Eric and Elizabeth have made significant contributions during their time with the city. I am grateful for their work on our team. This decision is not connected to any specific actions or one event. It is a strategic change in leadership to support the directions of my administration and the comprehensive needs of the city at this time,” Lund said.
“My immediate focus is ensuring a smooth transition within the affected departments and throughout the city. We are working to identify interim leadership and will let you know when those decisions are final. We expect to begin recruiting for both positions as soon as possible,” Lund said.
It’s the second major administrative change this month for Lund, who took office in January after defeating Mayor Seth Fleetwood in the November election.
On July 15, Lund named Communications Director Janice Keller and Deputy Finance Director Forrest Longman as deputy administrators, replacing Brian Heinrich who left for a position at Puget Sound Energy.
Keller is Lund’s chief of staff and will focus on external relations, while Longman will focus on city operations, according to the city’s website.
Monahan was hired in May 2021 after serving for more than 11 years as the director of human resources for the Port of Bellingham, according to the city’s website.
Johnston was named public works director in May 2020 after serving for nine months as interim director. He’s been with the city for nearly 12 years, according to his Linked In account and previous Herald reporting.
This story was originally published July 30, 2024 at 10:21 AM.
