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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Councilman Uses News Clips In Criticism Of Consultant

Spokane City Councilman Chris Anderson on Thursday continued his criticism of the city’s decision to hire a $45,000 consultant.

At a hastily called press conference, Anderson used articles from a Western Washington newspaper to back his contention that Cary Bozeman is not worth the money he’s being paid.

According to The Bellevue Journal-American articles, Bozeman resigned in 1994 as head of the King County Boys and Girls Clubs amid criticism of his spending practices and management style.

The newspaper called Bozeman’s departure “amicable” but reported that the clubs’ executive board members had called for his resignation in the past.

Some critics complained that Bozeman had mismanaged a $5 million budget and had spent too much on staff. The club has a deficit, although its size was not clear from the articles.

“The only thing I can say is I had a 28-year career with the Boys and Girls Club and I resigned after 28 years on good terms with my board,” Bozeman told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I’m proud to have been selected for the Spokane job and am looking forward to doing this project.”

According to the newspaper reports, “Bozeman acknowledged that he risked expanding services with no money to pay for them. He also said his management style is out of sync with today’s consensus-oriented process.”

“I’m a pretty autocratic leader,” Bozeman told the Journal-American. “I want the full reins in my hands.”

The Spokane City Council hired Bozeman last month to lead a committee charged with identifying the services residents want from the city.

Anderson voted against the contract and picketed outside a June 27 breakfast kicking off the committee’s effort.

At Thursday’s press conference, Anderson said the council did not know about Bozeman’s resignation from the youth organizations when it hired him.

The three-time Bellevue mayor “perhaps lacks executive management skills,” Anderson said. “By Mr. Bozeman’s own admission, he doesn’t listen. He’s an autocratic leader.

“I truly question the validity of bringing a person like that on board here.”

Anderson said he would ask the City Council to reconsider the contract with Bozeman. He predicted the council “would kick and scream and yell” about the request.

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