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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane officials remain mum on former street director’s removal as snow plowing continues

FILE – Mark Serbousek, who was ousted by Mayor David Condon earlier this month as the street department, in 2012. (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)

Officials at Spokane City Hall still aren’t talking about the reason street Director Mark Serbousek was abruptly removed from that job last week.

Officials said they’re continuing to evaluate Serbousek’s employment future at the city.

“We’re trying to see what opportunities are available,” said Marlene Feist, the director of strategic development for the public works and utilities department. Serbousek worked out of City Hall on Monday, Feist said.

Feist and members of the City Council, who were informed of the change last week, did not provide any additional details for the reasoning behind Serbousek’s move.

Brian Coddington, a spokesman for Mayor David Condon, referred to a statement released by Feist over the weekend and said the administration would not be commenting further. And Serbousek, contacted over the weekend once news of his re-assignment became public, also declined to comment.

Officials continued to cite non-specific “personnel matters” as the reason for the move Monday.

Gary Kaesemeyer has taken over as street director. Serbousek, who’d held the position since 2007, was paid $123,099 in 2015 for his work with the city, the most recent year for which data is available.

Feist said Kaesemeyer, who had been serving as director of the sewer maintenance department, might be pulling “double duty” until the changes are made permanent. Kaesemeyer earned the city’s “manager of the year” award in 2015.

City snow removal crews are in the midst of their third full-city plow of the season, which began Friday night. The process takes about four days, and the Browne’s Addition neighborhood is scheduled to be plowed Wednesday and Thursday. Any parked cars remaining on the neighborhood’s roads during that time will be towed to make room for the plows.

The berms left in the center of downtown roads were scheduled to be removed overnight Monday.