Council votes to grant Lynch extra $24,000

The Spokane City Council on Monday narrowly granted an extra payout to fired Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch.

Lynch was entitled to about $66,000 in severance and for unused sick and vacation time based on city code. The agreement approved Monday will give him an additional $24,000 as a result of a memorandum former Mayor John Powers wrote that allowed Lynch and other members of the mayor’s staff to accrue extra vacation time.

Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin said that she disagreed with Powers’ decision but that the city had to to pay it – or face a lawsuit. Council President Joe Shogan and Councilmen Rob Crow and Brad Stark agreed with McLaughlin.

“This was a contract legally done between a past mayor and an employee,” McLaughlin said. “I say we just pay it and get it over with it.”

Council members Bob Apple, Al French and Mary Verner voted against the proposal. “I believe it is gifting,” French said. “It is outside the contracts that were approved by the council.”

City code indicates that increasing a payout for saved vacation needs City Council approval. But when Powers’ chief of staff Randy Withrow filed a claim against the city after the council voted against giving him $12,000 for extra vacation he saved, the city settled the claim for $10,500.

One remaining city employee, Lynch’s former administrative assistant Jan Freese, has an agreement in place that could allow her to collect pay for unused vacation beyond limits in city code.