SPOKANE, Wash. — According to the City of Spokane, Mayor Nadine Woodward has announced she will be going on family leave effective immediately to care for her terminally ill mother.
The city told KREM 2 the mayor has been in the hospital with her mother, who received a terminal diagnosis Wednesday.
"You think about it, it's news that comes in shock and something you're not expecting but something that you need to make the decision to obviously focus on your family at this point," the City Communications Director, Brian Coddington, said.
Garrett Jones, Spokane's interim City Administrator, will handle the basic operations of the city and take care of anything that requires a signature from the mayor.
"Customarily, when the mayor is on travel or on vacation and away from the office for a period of time, the signature authority delegation does occur and typically goes to the city administrator, so, that will be his responsibility," Coddington said.
The signature delegation goes through Sunday, but could be extended depending on how long the mayor is away.
"We'll re-evaluate over the weekend as to what next steps might have to be taken but at this point in time we're just going to give her through the weekend to be able to focus on family."
Mayor Woodward's office released a statement saying:
“Mayor Nadine Woodward has taken family leave to care for her terminally ill mother and be with her through this time. News of her mother’s diagnosis was sudden and devastating. While Mayor Woodward remains in contact with her office, signature authority on routine business has temporarily been delegated to Garrett Jones as interim City Administrator. Please keep Mayor Woodward and her family in your thoughts and prayers as they focus on family.”
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