Councilor Micki Varney breaks the silence about city manager’s resignation 

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City Councilor Micki Varney said Friday that she and, to the best of her knowledge, fellow city councilors were unaware of an effort to push Salem City Manager Keith Stahley out of his job.

Stahley abruptly resigned Sunday, Feb. 9.

A city statement released Thursday said that Council President Linda Nishioka asked Stahley to resign and that she “understood” after speaking with Mayor Julie Hoy, that she was acting on behalf of the mayor and council.

Varney now says the public deserves an explanation for how that occurred.

“No single city councilor – or mayor – has the authority to ask for a resignation absent a vote of the entire council. In this instance, this never occurred,” she wrote.

Stahley submitted his resignation letter shortly after his conversation with Nishioka and vacated his office on Monday. City councilors formally accepted his resignation at a public meeting Monday night. 

Mayor Julie Hoy set in motion events that led to Keith Stahley’s abrupt resignation 

Since his exit, councilors have been largely mum about the conversations that preceded Hoy and Nishioka’s actions.

Only Varney and Shane Matthews have answered questions from Salem Reporter about the events leading up to Stahley’s resignation.

Varney’s new statement said his departure places the city in a difficult spot as it prepares for the upcoming budget cycle that will require painful cuts to city services to balance a nearly $14 million deficit. 

Here is her full statement: 

“I write this feeling great sadness and regret at what has transpired over the past week. It has eroded the trust and transparency we as a Council have been trying to rebuild over the past year.

The public has every right to, and deserves, an explanation of the events leading up to and following the city manager’s submission of his letter of resignation. The public has a right to demand that their elected officials follow the rules and statutes they all took an oath to uphold when they took office. 

I believe that trust matters and respect is the currency of trust. I also believe that my duties, as your elected city councilor, include the sharing of concerns when warranted, and in a timely manner. 

Transparency is a standard you have every right to expect of your government.

Members of the public and members of the Council deserve answers. The manner in which the city manager’s resignation occurred is untimely and unacceptable. I believe we all must continue to ask questions in order to discover exactly what actions were taken, and by whom and why, between the timing of the recent audit report and the abrupt resignation of the city manager earlier this week.

I am unaware of what really happened over the past few days, and I believe it is essential that we understand the reality of how we ended up in the situation we now find ourselves. Namely, we are now without a city manager while beginning the city budget setting process for the upcoming fiscal year.  

There are many reports circulating around the various media speculating what may or may not have occurred. This suggests that either the facts were not provided to the media, or someone, or someones, misreported the facts to purposefully shape the larger narrative for a desired outcome. 

It is apparent the city manager accepted a request to resign from a representative of the whole or (at least as stated in the resignation document), a majority of the council. However, no single city councilor – or mayor – has the authority to ask for a resignation absent a vote of the entire council. In this instance, this never occurred.

I, and to the best of my knowledge many of my fellow councilors, were not aware of what was transpiring during the week prior to the city manager’s resignation. We were following the rules which specify that we do not communicate with one another regarding city matters outside of a public meeting.

I was shocked to hear of the city manager’s resignation. 

I am looking forward to being able to fill in many of the gaps as more facts are brought forward. I urge patience as more information is gathered.

In conclusion, I ask our city and community to remain engaged and participate in the steps ahead of us. I recognize the need for trust-building and truth-telling, and that is precisely why I am sharing my concerns with you in this message. 

Together, I believe we can and will move Salem forward, but it will take all of us working together to be able to achieve that objective.”

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 503-335-7790. Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.

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