Leavenworth City Council debates resolution to address Forest Service needs

LEAVENWORTH – The Leavenworth City Council is considering a resolution that would oppose federal actions that impact surrounding Forest Service land and Wilderness Areas.

During its March 25 meeting, the City Council deliberated the details of a drafted resolution addressing the substantial loss of local Forest Service employees who were included in the mass firing of thousands of federal probationary employees in February. 

Following legal challenges, the employees have been reinstated while litigation over the mass firings continues. First, the Merit Systems Protection Board issued a 45-day stay on March 5, reinstating employees as it investigated the legality of the firings. 

Then on March 13, in a lawsuit joined by Washington State, U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ordered a preliminary injunction to reinstate thousands of probationary employees at six federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture. In his memorandum, Judge Alsup stated that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had unlawfully directed agencies to fire their probationary employees, causing “irreparable harm.” The government appealed the order to the Supreme Court.

“This is a moving target...They've been ordered to hire back, but then they've been told that that's a temporary situation. So again, this is very fluid,” said Mayor Carl Florea.

The council’s draft emphasized the need for management of highly trafficked Wilderness Areas, wildfire risk reduction, and protection of the city’s water supply. It opposed the “wholesale cuts” of the Forest Service and urged Congress and federal agencies to maintain or increase funding levels. It also called upon federal representatives and Forest Service leadership to recognize the urgent needs in the community and the role Forest Service employees play in the “health and safety” of the city.

However, council members were hesitant to motion a vote on the resolution, citing that the resolution was too general. Councilmember Zeke Reister ultimately motioned for the vote in order to open the discussion.

“I think there's more to be said. I think there's more explicit issues that highlight the salient points,” said Reister. 

Reister told the council he would be open to moving forward with the resolution if it was amended to include the local implications of fire prevention funding being frozen. Currently, a $9.275 million Community Wildfire Defense grant for the Leavenworth area is on hold as the Washington Department of Natural Resources has yet to access $180 million in federal funding due to the Trump administration’s spending freeze.

Council members agreed, recognizing the resolution needed a more direct ask if it were to be escalated to federal representatives.

“I think that that needs to more so reflect what's currently going on, because there will be rehirings of some of these federal employees and we need to talk about a little bit more specifically of what we're really expecting out of that. What do we want locally with regard to hiring?” said Councilmember Anne Hessburg.

Members of the public also weighed in, with Russ Truman commending the resolution and asking for signatures on a letter to representatives with similar intent. BeeJay Robinson advised the council to make sure the resolution had “footing” before passing it.

“Have the community come here and talk to you about how it is going to affect them. Let's listen to it and put that in the resolution, as long as it matches with every lawsuit that [the state attorney general has] out there...It's not just us standing on our own and risking everything. We're standing with the State of Washington,” said Robinson.

The council voted to postpone the resolution, make amendments to include specific items, and bring it to a vote at a later meeting.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media