Newly elected Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley struck quickly. Within days of taking office, he fired City Administrator Paul Schmidt and City Attorney Margery Hite.

The news wasn’t unexpected, at least by City Councilman Rick Almberg, who late last year made a failed effort to keep the new mayor from firing or hiring anyone for at least six months. And Dudley himself had suggested he would carefully review the performances of all department heads before deciding who would stay and who would go. Now, it’s evident his mind was already made up regarding the city administrator and attorney.

Judging by their reactions, the two highly placed employees are taking the change well. Schmidt will stay until Feb. 6, showing the ropes to Planning Director Steve Powers, who will fill in as administrator on an interim basis. For her part, Hite complimented her successor, previous assistant city attorney and one-time Island County prosecutor Bill Hawkins, and said she will help with the transition from her home.

Neither is likely to be unemployed for long. Schmidt had applied for another job last year and probably has other irons in the fire. Hite is an accomplished attorney with a resume that includes having served on the state Growth Management Hearing Board, so she’ll land on her feet. Severance packages will no doubt lessen the pain for both.

It’s not unusual for a new mayor to make changes in those positions that serve at his or her pleasure. Jim Slowik, who just completed his one term in office, didn’t fiddle much with his staff. But his predecessor, Mayor Patty Cohen, didn’t take long to fire the city manager, E.T. Silvers, after she was elected, then went through Ken Nyberg and Thomas Meyers, who served over three years before he too was axed. Also falling during Cohen’s administration were the city police chief, engineer and a head planner.

There’s nothing new or surprising about what Dudley did, aside from the suddenness of it all. But he’s also acted quickly and more positively in other areas, such as televising subcommittee meetings and helping to make more public the process of filling a vacant council position.

The new mayor looks like more of a doer than a talker. Let’s just hope that as time goes by, he does the right thing more often than not.