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In one-on-one interview, mayor discusses equity task force, police chief search, leadership style Posted: January 30, 2021 1376
Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson delivers his State of the City address Jan. 21. (My Edmonds News file photo)
In the first one-on-one interview with
My Edmonds News since he took office in January 2020, Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson sat down Friday with Publisher Teresa Wippel, speaking to a wide range of topics from the just-released Equity and Social Justice Task Force report to the police chief hiring process to his leadership style.
We have provided a transcript of the hour-long interview below, edited slightly for clarity and repetitive subject matter. We have also included, when needed, a summary introduction of the issues that the mayor addressed in each Q&A section:
MY EDMONDS NEWS Posted: January 14, 2021
Jim Lawless
Updated at 9:10 p.m. Thursday with information from a Facebok video posted by Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson.
Acting Edmonds Police Chief Jim Lawless said he won’t be applying again for the job of permanent chief, stating that it’s time for the community “to begin to heal.”
“The time has come for us all to look towards what is next for the Edmonds Police Department and move forward,” Lawless said in a statement to the community Thursday. “The mayor will be conducting a national search for the next Chief of Police for the Edmonds Police Department. It is my belief that the smoothest transition possible is what is needed for the department and the community to begin to heal.”
MY EDMONDS NEWS Posted: January 7, 2021
Mayor Mike Nelson
There will be a public statement “within the next day or two” from Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson about “the next steps in the police chief process.” That’s the word released Thursday by the city’s spokesperson, Edmonds Economic Development and Community Services Director Patrick Doherty. He had no further details.
The mayor must make at least one decision quickly. Assistant Chief Jim Lawless has held the title of acting chief since January 2020. It was supposed to be a six-month assignment while Edmonds conducted a search to replace long-time Chief Al Compaan, who retired Jan. 1, 2020. The COVID pandemic interrupted the search; the Edmonds City Council granted a waiver to extend Lawless’ acting role for a second six months, which expires on Jan. 22. What happens then? Under Edmonds City Code,
MY EDMONDS NEWS Posted: December 31, 2020
Demonstrators gather at Westgate urging Mayor Nelson to resign
As the sun set on the last day of 2020, about a dozen residents took to the streets at the Westgate intersection urging Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson to step down. The group drew waves and honks from passing motorists, with one even parking to photograph and personally thank the demonstrators.
The central issue drawing the group together is the recent months-long effort to find a new police chief to follow Chief Al Compaan, a 41-year Edmonds Police Department veteran who retired last December. The process to replace Compaan has been fraught with controversy and confusion, exacerbated the community rift between Nelson’s supporters and detractors, and left Acting Chief Jim Lawless named by Nelson in April as the best choice for the job in limbo.