Spokane's former Economic Development Director Theresa Sanders will be the top City Hall administrator under Mayor David Condon.

Many city employees had speculated for months that Sanders would get that top job if he beat Mayor Mary Verner in the November election. Sanders was active in Condon's campaign.

Condon declined to comment earlier today when asked if Sanders would get the job, saying he still had a meeting planned with City Administrator Ted Danek. The announcement was made late this morning in a news release.

 Sanders was hired at City Hall by former Mayor Dennis Hession but quit after two years, citing an inability to “change the culture.” Sanders, 51, previously worked at Microsoft and has a bachelor's degree from Eastern Washington University in government.
  

Spokane firefighter Todd Chism has been placed on unpaid layoff status pending the resolution of felony charges that he assaulted Washington State Patrol troopers in Stevens County last month.

City Administrator Ted Danek informed Chism, a lieutenant, of the change during an afternoon meeting at City Hall today, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist. The change takes effect Friday. Chism earned $93,535 per year.

Chism had been on paid leave from the Spokane Fire Department since April 8, two days after an early-morning confrontation with two troopers alongside Highway 291 just outside the driveway to Chism’s home.

Unpaid layoff status means Chism is no longer employed by the city of Spokane but could be reinstated if felony charges are dropped or reduced to misdemeanors. That happened to Spokane police Detective Jay Mehring and Officer Jay Olsen, but Olsen then resigned before Chief Anne Kirkpatrick fired him.

Mehring and Olsen both received back pay for their time on unpaid layoff status because neither was convicted of a felony.

Past coverage:

April 23: Chism threatened to kill troopers, WSP said

April 9: Firefighter Tasered in DUI arrest