SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Administrator Wes Crago resigned following a discussion with Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward last week, according to city spokesperson Brian Coddington.
Crago did not submit a resignation letter, Coddington said. He did not clarify the nature of the conversation or whether Crago was asked to resign.
Crago was making an annual salary of $152,946. He was not under contract, Coddington said.
Coddington previously released a statement, saying Crago's "heart is with smaller towns."
"Wes Crago, who came from Ephrata to Spokane, indicated that his heart is with smaller towns and has stepped down as City Administrator," Coddington said. "Wes played important parts in the City’s participation in the regional response to COVID and ongoing public safety needs and public works projects."
For the time being, Scott Simmons, Spokane's Public Works Director, will step in as interim City Administrator while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement, Coddington said.
Moving forward the city is working to develop a new leadership structure that "aligns more closely to the strategic work in the areas of Public Safety and Health, Public Infrastructure, Resident Experience, Management and Budget, and Internal Services," Coddington said. "Leaders will be named in the coming days to oversee each of those areas as we also focus on key initiatives in public safety, homeless, housing, and economic development."
The new leadership structure comes after discussions on how the city can bring "focus and clarity to our work to best meet the expectations of the community we serve," Coddington said.