City of Snoqualmie, Parks and Public Works Director part ways; interim management consultant hired

[Correction: Ben Yazici’s role will be serving as Parks and Publics Works Management Consultant, not interim Parks and Public Works Director.]

On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 the City of Snoqualmie announced the retirement of Dan Marcinko, Director of Parks and Public Works. Marcinko had worked in the position for a decade.

According to a separation agreement between the city and Marcinko, his departure will be official on July 1, 2019. He is on administrative leave until then and will receive 4 months of base pay and retirement contributions as severance pay.

Though the agreement restricts either party from commenting on what led to the separation decision, Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson said, “Contrary to social media rumors, no alleged fraud or anything unethical or illegal led to Marcinko’s departure.”

In March 2018, an Ethics Examiner found Marcinko had violated the city’s ethics code for supervising the city event planner while also in a separate wine distributing business with her, but that the violation did not result in any financial benefit to him, the business or financial loss to the city. Marcinko admitted exercising poor judgement and fully cooperated with the investigation. As punishment he was barred from participating in the city’s Pay for Performance bonus program in 2018.

A Parks and Public Works Management Consultant was approved at the city council’s June 24th meeting: Ben Yazici, who served as Sammamish City Manager for 15 years before retiring in early 2016. He will assist the department while the city conducts an extensive search to find Marcinko’s permanent replacement.

According to a news release, “The city expects a smooth, seamless transition without any disruption to levels of services to ratepayers and the citizens of Snoqualmie.”

Per the release, “Mayor Matt Larson, the City Council, and City Administration wish Mr. Marcinko nothing but the best in his retirement from the City of Snoqualmie.”

Larson commented, “Dan has done an extraordinary job serving the citizens of Snoqualmie and should be very proud of the legacy he helped build.”

The mayor also authored a lengthy letter of recommendation for Marcinko, saying in part, “Mr. Daniel Marcinko will be a valuable member of any team, organization, company or governmental entity wherever he chooses to resume his career.”

You can read the full city news release HERE.



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Comments

  • ‘retirement’ does not come with severance and gag orders. What a fine opportunity for some investigative journalism.

  • Employers are rarely allowed to speak of the circumstances in which an employee leaves a job. Its usually a hard and fast policy to only divulge title and dates of employment to keep employers out of legal hot water. Why would a city be any different? Saying nothing is the norm

    1. Yet they did say something, by calling it a ‘retirement’, yet putting him on (4 months paid!) administrative leave, immediately. It certainly looks odd.

  • 1 down, 3 to go.
    Retirement, you say? And ‘Contrary to social media rumors…’ as a follow on. OK, I’ll drink the koolaid.
    But there clearly needs to be transparency in order to stop Dan’s good name being besmirched on social media.
    Snoqualmie ratepayers MUST unite and protest paying Dan 4 months pay when retiring.
    Mayor Matt Larson thinks we’re stupid. Maybe he is right.

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