In the summer of 2022, a now-former Clyde Hill employee submitted a whistleblower complaint, including allegations against former Councilmember Scott Moore and Councilmember Dean Hachamovitch. The city resolved the dispute and paid the former employee $20,000.
A public records request for the whistleblower complaint was originally filed in October of 2022. The Clyde Hill Coalition has asked for a copy of all records related to that public records request, but so far the city has yet to release the whistleblower complaint to the public. As of this writing, it has been eleven months since the initial request. Residents and voters have a right to know what is going on behind closed doors with their elected officials, thanks to the Public Records Act.
While we await the release of the documents, we’re disclosing what the author of the whistle-blower complaint has told us. We will update our story as more information becomes available or the city releases this document to the public.
We’re told the allegations in the whistleblower complaint against Councilmember Dean Hachamovitch allege his abuse of power. The complaint alleges Hachamovitch sought to secure special privileges (RCW 42.52.070) through city staff and had the city’s attorney answer his questions and perform work, for which taxpayers were charged, on proposed code changes that impact Hachamovitch’s private property. These proposed code changes included changes to the codes regarding fire hydrant visibility, turnarounds on private lanes, and speed bumps.
Some of these allegations have the backing of publicly released attorney bills (see bills from 2022 & 2023), which reference conferences between the city’s attorney, Tom Brubaker (Lighthouse Law Group), and Councilmember Hachamovitch’s personal attorney, and Councilmember Hachamovitch himself.
The allegations against former Councilmember Scott Moore contend he attempted to use public resources to influence the outcome of Proposition 1 (the effort to remove your right to vote for mayor, which Clyde Hill voters rejected by 61%). The complaint alleges that Moore attempted to pressure staff to release the City Administrator’s employee performance review through a public records request without following city policy that grants some subjects of a public records request the chance to review the responsive records and seek relief from the courts if they do not feel they should be made public. This policy was adopted in April 2018. Former Councilmember Moore voted in favor of this policy. The complainant told us former Councilmember Moore was lobbying for this because the former Councilmember felt the release of records within the employee’s personnel file could influence the outcome of the election.
The complaint also says the author was concerned about retribution from these councilmembers due to their prior actions. For example, the author mentioned that former Councilmember Moore filed a police report alleging harassment by the City Administrator because the City Administrator was enforcing the City Code which impacted Councilmember Moore’s hedge. A police investigation determined that the allegation by Councilmember Moore had no merit.
It’s important to remember that the allegations noted above are based on the account provided to us by the whistleblower. We have asked the city for a copy of the complaint, and the city has not yet provided it to us despite the significant passage of time.
Former Councilmember Moore and Councilmember Hachamovitch have endorsed city council candidate Mark Kroese.