Mayor Friedman Resigns—Pushed Out by Hachamovitch
Mayor Steve Friedman announced he has resigned as of September 5th. While his public statement cites “personal decision,” few in Clyde Hill are convinced. Many believe Friedman is the latest casualty of Councilmember Dean Hachamovitch’s long-running pattern of political infighting, supported by his loyalists on Council—Lisa Slivka and Brad Andonian.
Consolidated Power, Conflicted Interests
With Friedman’s departure, Hachamovitch as Mayor Pro Tem gained enormous power. Unless he formally commits to the mayoral role, he retains both mayoral veto authority and his council vote—an unprecedented concentration of power in Clyde Hill government.
Many residents believe he will continue his pattern of pushing out City staff who haven’t been aligned with his agenda. This isn’t the first time Hachamovitch has used this playbook, with residents pointing to former Mayor Marianne Klaas’s departure as an earlier example of a similar campaign. Klaas noted upon her departure: “I do not wish to endure [the council’s] personal and professional attacks for another term.” (LINK) The pattern is unmistakable: drive out experienced leadership, consolidate power, and install loyalists.
The Blog and the Blame Game
Residents assert Hachamovitch has used his blog (LINK) to shape a narrative that misleads residents, inflates problems, and pins challenges on mayors, the city administrator, and staff. From budget disputes to administrative decisions, he has carefully shaped a narrative of dysfunction—while ignoring the fact that many of the decisions he criticizes are the responsibility of the Council itself.
As Friedman warned in his resignation remarks (LINK):
“I must express concern about communications that undermine unity. Councilmember Hachamovitch’s newsletter/blog, while framed as informative, functions as an opinion piece that fosters division and criticism. I urge him to reconsider its publication—especially as he assumes the role of Mayor.”
The Real Rift: A Gate Permit Denied
Sources claim the tipping point to their divide came when Mayor Friedman refused to fire the City Administrator, Dean Rohla. Hachamovitch had a long-standing dispute with the city administrator over his declined gate permit, which would have blocked access to a public fire hydrant, raising safety concerns.
Power Grab in Progress
With Friedman out, Hachamovitch takes full control. Whether he completes the mayoral term through 2027 or installs a figurehead mayor who answers to him, the result is the same: concentrated power, no checks, no balance.
Voters, however, already made their position clear: Prop 1 failed with 61% opposition (LINK). Residents stood firmly for checks, balances, and their right to elect the mayor.
Friedman announced the departure of City Administrator Dean Rohla (LINK) alongside his own resignation last week. Residents witnessed years of targeted criticism directed toward Rohla by Hachamovitch during council meetings and in his blog posts. Observers warn that the replacement of the city administrator may demand a higher salary and severance to work in what many describe as a politically toxic environment.
Eradicate Toxicity Immediately
Councilmember Olson, during the July 28th meeting, put it bluntly (LINK: starts 20 minutes in):
“This is the second mayor that has decided not to proceed and I think it’s incumbent upon the council to understand all the reasons why, in this beautiful city that that we have, and what are we doing if it’s us. I think we need to look introspectively and, if there’s something that we’re doing that is making this position impossible, uncomfortable, not worth pursuing, we need to understand that and … change some things. That’s my strong feeling we can’t keep going on with pushing out the mayors and … employees … it’s our responsibility to make sure that we have a functioning city and … stability …. and employees and … mayors. I think it is very important. What is toxic here? Something is toxic, something smells bad, and … that’s pushing people out, and we need to understand what it is and eradicate it immediately.”
What’s Next—and Who’s Left?
After Friedman’s resignation, the Council has 90 days to appoint a new mayor. Skeptics doubt the process will be fair. If Hachamovitch wants the title, he has his vote and the likely votes of Slivka and Andonian to give it to himself. If not, residents’ perception is he will hand-pick a proxy to support his agenda.
With the City Administrator leaving as well, this raises serious concerns about who will be willing to step into leadership under such toxic conditions. With staff already stretched thin and further departures anticipated, residents are rightly asking:
- Who will run this city?
- What will it cost to replace experienced staff?
- Who will volunteer as mayor to lead a city that residents describe as plagued by intimidation and political vendettas? (LINK)
The residents of Clyde Hill deserve better.