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Kirklands appointment of new director-general raises eyebrows

Patricia Enborg
The Gazette
Thursday, April 10, 2008

Kirkland municipal council has appointed a new top civil servant. But how they did it is sparking criticism, the mayor admits.
Council decided to fill the director-general’s post with one of their own; District 2 councillor Joe Sanalitro. It was decided in January and announced at the end of the council meeting last month.
Sanalitro will take up his new duties April 28.
According to Mayor John Meaney, council began thinking about how to fill the position when interim director-general Jules Renaud informed them last year of his plans to retire. Former director-general Barry Weldon retired two years ago.
“We felt there was nobody in-house who could fill the job the way we wanted it (filled),” Meany said.
Council then considered turning to an agency or advertising the post, but Meaney said he remembered Sanalitro had mentioning he’d be interested in the job if it ever became available.
“If we wanted to hide the fact that we were hiring him and put it in the paper ... pay the money for an agency, knowing damned well who we wanted in the first place. I said, ‘No. Forget it. We know who we want and we’ve got him, so let’s not go any further.’ ”
Sanalitro has co-owned a restaurant in Kirkland for 10 years. Prior to that, he worked for IBM for 12 years in the administration and finance departments. He was first elected to council in November of 2005.
Meaney admitted the appointment has drawn criticism from those who were passed over for the job at town hall. He has also received calls from residents demanding to know why the position wasn’t posted or handled by an agency.
“And I just said, ‘Well, guess what? I saved you all that money.’ ”
The mayor said the position is basically “the mayor’s right-hand man.”
“He has to know the finances, he has to know the budgeting, he knows all about public works ... and who’s good at managing the day-to-day functions.”
“I think I have that ability to bring people together,” Sanalitro said. “Making sure everyone’s communicating and doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”