Politics
Vancouver City Council Sets Friday Vote to Fire City Manager Lon Pluckhahn
The Vancouver City Council will vote Friday on whether to terminate City Manager Lon Pluckhahn, who received a positive performance review and a 5% raise just ten months ago. Officials have offered no public explanation for the sudden move, which follows three closed-door executive sessions since October.
VANCOUVER, Wash. â The Vancouver City Council will vote Friday on whether to remove City Manager Lon Pluckhahn from his position, a decision that could abruptly end the tenure of the city's top appointed official less than two years after he was hired.
A notice for the special meeting was published late Tuesday, the day before the Veterans Day holiday. City officials have not publicly explained why Pluckhahn's job is in jeopardy. A city spokesperson, two councilors and Pluckhahn himself did not respond to interview requests.
The move comes despite a strong performance review. In January, the city gave Pluckhahn a positive evaluation describing "excellent performance" and awarded him a 5% pay raise, according to reporting by The Columbian.
City documents previewing Friday's meeting indicate that councilors must provide a reason for removing the city manager after they vote on a resolution. The documents also note that Pluckhahn's dismissal was discussed during three executive session meetings since October, meaning the conversation has been underway behind closed doors for weeks.
Pluckhahn was hired as city manager in late 2024 after serving three years as deputy city manager. He previously held city manager roles in Iowa and Wisconsin. He first joined Vancouver's city staff under former City Manager Eric Holmes, who led the city for 14 years.
The city manager functions as Vancouver's chief executive, responsible for developing biennial budgets, implementing the City Council's priorities and overseeing city departments.
If councilors vote to fire Pluckhahn, Deputy City Manager Lisa Brandl could immediately replace him. His employment could be officially terminated on Dec. 14, 2026.
The lack of public explanation has raised questions about transparency in a city where the council has discussed the matter exclusively in executive session. Under Washington's Open Public Meetings Act, executive sessions are permitted for personnel matters, but the public is entitled to know the basis for a final action once it is taken.
Friday's vote is scheduled as a special meeting, meaning it falls outside the council's regular schedule. The meeting notice was issued with little advance warning, and the timing â the day after a federal holiday â has limited the window for public scrutiny.
Residents will be watching closely to see whether councilors articulate a clear rationale before voting on the future of the city's chief administrator.