The Bothell City Council voted 5-2 Tuesday night to dismiss City Manager Bob Stowe without stated cause, prior public notice or council-approved legal review. Stowe was not at the regularly scheduled meeting as he is on vacation.

The Council called an executive session after which Councilmember Tris Samberg immediately proposed a motion to dismiss Stowe. Samberg declined to speak to her motion.

Councilmembers Joshua Freed and Del Spivey were the only dissenting votes.

In discussion, Freed gave an impassioned defense of Stowe’s 11-year tenure with the city.

“There’s overwhelmingly positive movement that’s gone forward under his leadership here within our city, and I think it highly inappropriate the process that’s been followed here,” Freed said.

He also voiced concerns that there was no public notice given prior to the meeting and raised his concerns of a possible breach of state open meetings laws.

“I find it questionable that there was enough support tonight, without announcement, to come forward with a potential that this could actually pass with support,” he said.

Spivey also raised concerns and praised Stowe’s work on the downtown revitalization project and guiding the city. He also raised concerns over the closed discussions. Spivey said he thought Stowe had done well for the city during difficult recent economic times.

“Cities across the country are wondering how he did what he did during the recession,” Spivey said. “The economic development during that time period is phenomenal.”

Mayor Andy Rheaume was the only other member to speak to on the motion.

“This being brought forward is not a sentiment that Bob has done a bad job,” Rheaume said. “The sentiment is that it’s time to take the city in a new direction.”

Rheaume also said he had talked with Stowe previously, so the motion to fire him should not come as a surprise.

Before the vote, Freed asked Rheaume if the resolution to terminate Stowe’s contract had been reviewed by council-authorized legal council, to which Rheaume said it had not but that he personally had run it past multiple attorneys.

Following the decision by the Council there is a 30 day period where the public can submit comment to the Council.

Stowe will be placed on paid administrative leave for 30 days, after which he will be terminated with 12 months paid salary as part of a severance package.

According to a City press release, Assistant City Manager Peter Troedsson will be the interim City Manager until the position is filled.

The search for a new City Manager is estimated to take six months.