There has been a lot of speculation, questions and even personal accusations surrounding the firing of Bothell city manager Bob Stowe.

Let’s set the record straight, the city council has a legal right (and I daresay, a responsibility) to fire the city manager without cause if they have lost confidence in his leadership or his job performance. This was not done in secret or without citizen approval.

Last fall, three new councilmembers ran an election, each one pounding the streets, listening to voters, and each one handily beating their opponents.

The Seattle Times’ headline on Nov. 3, 2015 reads: “Bothell elects three to council who buck city leadership.” No secret then or now-we vote for the people who best represent our interests. This is called democracy.

Tax money going to developers (including Stowe and his developer friends) and not to infrastructure, maintenance and basic services, has become a bad habit at city hall. Unfortunately, Stowe, some of his staff and some past councilmembers had a penchant to back-room/executive session decisions, a disregard for the tax-paying public and a self-enrichment attitude. It goes without saying that there has been an atmosphere of “my way or the highway.”

The city manager publicly stated that “Bothell was recession-proof.” Well, look at us after 10-plus years of his “master-planning,” pretty downtown pictures, increasing traffic, no maintenance money for parks, streets, downtown Main Street, fire department, etc., Bothell is broke. And we’re going to have to pay for it.

But what galls me the most is Bob Stowe taking credit for recruiting the McMenamin’s development. McMenamin’s is in Bothell, inspite of Bob Stowe, who tried everything he could to prevent the Anderson School from being placed on Historic Registers, and apparently was willing to replace it with a Wal-Mart, if he had to, for his “grand plan.” As far back as 2006, local historians, civic-minded community activists and Bothell Landmarks Board members were in contact with McMenamin’s, literally recruiting them. After the city messed up the purchase of the Northshore School District property (all at the taxpayer’s expense), McMenamin’s was the last serious bidder standing to not only preserve Anderson, but develop the entire property. It was a great idea, but not his.

A new direction for Bothell: stop speculating, looking instead at facts (and budgets), balancing development with some common sense designs for the betterment of all Bothellites. Thank you Bothell City Council for your due diligence, hard work, forward-thinking actions and for your bravery during this difficult time.

Sue Kienast, Bothell