Although we do not know all of the story, I applaud both Mayor Jim Ferrell and Steve McNey for their handling of the incident involving Mr. McNey that occurred on July 9. Mayor Ferrell has clearly stated that any allegations of criminal activity or domestic violence by his staff would not be tolerated and were grounds for immediate termination. Mr. McNey did the right thing and resigned immediately when the allegations arose, and Mayor Ferrell correctly accepted that resignation and stepped aside to let the criminal justice system resolve the issue. Mayor Ferrell then properly denied severance pay to Mr. McNey in light of the severity of the allegations and Mr. McNey’s voluntary resignation.

In this day and age, it is rare to see elected officials and their staff exercise both the professionalism and the responsibility to the public that was promised and present in the instant case. What is disappointing — the individuals who are not willing to give our justice system an opportunity to resolve these issues. To see some former political candidates post vague allegations about prior actions, alluding to Steve McNey, and to see misstatements of fact by individuals who claim to have expertise in financial matters is disconcerting. Mr. McNey was not paid by the city for any work he did on Mayor Ferrell’s re-election campaign. To allege otherwise is an inaccurate statement that should be understood by anyone who has even a basic understanding of campaign-finance law.

Robert Bohm, Federal Way