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Thursday, November 12, 2009

City Yet Another City Council Spokesperson Quits

Posted by Dominic Holden on Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 4:05 PM

Speaking on behalf of nine people who disagree—like, say, the Seattle City Council, which enjoys heated disagreements and divisive votes—is one hell of a job. This intrepid soul must issue press releases and field media requests on behalf of the entire council, no matter how fractured. It's a delicate dance. A dance that pays over $75,000 a year. But a dance that people don't want to do long, apparently.

Debra Carnes is the third defector in a year, after less than five months on the job. "It's challenging working for nine council members," says Carnes, "but that is not why I am leaving." Carnes says she couldn't pass up a job as a senior consultant at JayRay, a communications firm in Tacoma. "This was not my intention when I took the position," says Carnes, who will leave at the end of November. "I am sorry to go."

Before Carnes, George Howland held the job for two years before he left last fall to work for the Seattle Channel. Kimberley Reason left in June, although she was only supposed to hold the job temporarily. According to this nifty website on the earnings of public employees, the job paid Howland $75,127 in 2007.

Comments (6) RSS

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$75K is a great salary but peanuts compared to what a good PR person can make at an agency or consulting firm. The low (relative to the private sector) pay combined with what seems to be a nearly impossible job would explain the turn-over.

Why does the council need a spokesperson? Can't individual council member's and their staffs make statements and release info the press? For larger issues when speaking for the council as a whole why doesn't the Council President or his/her staff make the statements? Isn't that sort of the point of that role?

Posted by danindowntown on November 12, 2009 at 4:10 PM

it's actually jayray -- not rayjay. but, of course, that would involve fact-checking on the stranger's part.

Posted by jayray on November 12, 2009 at 4:14 PM

My name is Raymond J. Johnson, Jr. Now you can call me Ray, or you can call me J, or you can call me Johnny, or you can call me Sonny, or you can call me Junie, or you can call me Ray J, or you can call me RJ, or you can call me RJJ, or you can call me RJJ Jr., but you doesn't hasta call me Johnson!

Posted by mint chocolate chip on November 12, 2009 at 4:22 PM

I am shocked.

Just as I am shocked that they repealed the Head Tax today so that Mayor Nickels can sign it before our city is in good hands again.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on November 12, 2009 at 4:31 PM

@ 2) The transposed letters have found their rightful order. Thank you.

Posted by Dominic Holden on November 12, 2009 at 4:51 PM

That is a nifty website. Did you see that Tim Ceis made $25K more per year than the Mayor? I grant you he doubtless worked harder, but it's kind of unseemly, no?

Posted by sorrytony on November 12, 2009 at 11:27 PM