Amid ongoing controversy surrounding an alleged threat made by the mayor pro tem, Oak Harbor Councilmember Dan Evans is calling for a third party investigation into the city administration.

During the council comment period at Tuesday’s meeting, Evans brought up the no confidence vote that took place on Oct. 5, 2021 against City Administrator Blaine Oborn. He told Mayor Robert Severns that he would have expected an investigation into city administration as a result of the vote.

“I saw your response that lays the blame on the previous council, and it appears that this game is not yet finished,” Evans said.

Severns, however, said that he thought staff morale was good and didn’t feel obligated to investigate further.

“I’m in charge of staff,” he said, “and I feel pretty darn good about where our staff is.”

Evans handed out a spreadsheet to those present at the meeting that categorized the responses of an employee survey given to city staff. According to this survey, Evans said, the top concern among employees is the city administration, the second was “retaliation” and the third was Oborn.

“Council doesn’t even make the list until No. 7, behind HR, the mayor, and lack of positive feedback,” he said.

Evans said that these issues were never addressed and “politically covered.” He urged his fellow council members to join him in making a motion to initiate a third-party investigation into the city administration “regarding current and past staff concerns of workplace intimidation, fear and retaliation,” he said.

Evans said he also had concerns about the allegations against Mayor Pro Tem Munns and that he would address those at the next city council meeting “as appropriate” when she can attend in person.

On June 8, Munns allegedly told Oborn that he and Human Resources Director Emma House would be hit or slapped if they attended the memorial service of a city employee who died unexpectedly, according to several city officials.

During a workshop on June 29, council members voted to strike from the agenda a review of the mayor pro tem position in response to the allegations, as Munns was out of town and attending the meeting virtually. A few days before that, a special meeting was scheduled to discuss the issue but later canceled because it wasn’t properly noticed.

Councilmember Jim Woessner pointed out that the council voted not to discuss Munns at the previous meeting.

“Yet apparently we’re going to discuss it without discussing it,” he said.

Woessner thought it was inappropriate to bring it up again without publicly discussing it first. He questioned why the allegations against Munns should be set aside and Evans should bring up initiating an investigation into the city’s administration.

“We have a subject we need to be investigating right now that’s a pretty serious subject,” Woessner said.

Woessner expressed his urgent desire to discuss Munns due the importance of being transparent, both to the public and staff.

Councilmember Eric Marshall also said it was not appropriate to bring it up again.

“We are being crucified by public comment because of actions that were taken,” Marshall said. “A meeting was scheduled without talking to all members of council.”

He said he was unaware that the original meeting was scheduled, and he would never have approved the meeting, knowing that Munns was out of town.

Severns said that Aug. 3 was the earliest date when all council members could be present for a meeting to discuss Munn’s conduct. Munns said she will be glad to be back in town and have the “truth come out” when she can attend in person.

Only Evans and Munns voted in favor of a third-party investigation.

Councilmember Tara Hizon said she was not opposed to a third party investigation but said she didn’t vote for it because the details were not specific enough.

Councilmember Shane Hoffmire said he was concerned about the lack of notice on the issue.

“I will never make nor support a motion that was not on the agenda,” he said. “I think that is the antithesis of open and transparent government.”

Marshall said that the investigation should include the city council, not just Oborn and the administration.