Snohomish’s finance director may leave for Mukilteo

update: Snohomish Finance Director Scott James has withdrawn from the candidacy, Mukilteo city administrator Steve Powers said April 4.

SNOHOMISH — The city’s finance director may be returning to his old city of Mukilteo if its council there says yes.
Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine is calling back Scott James to be Mukilteo’s finance director and is asking Mukilteo’s council to approve the appointment. James, currently Snohomish’s finance director, was Mukilteo’s finance director from 2007 until spring 2014 when he left for the same job in Edmonds.
Last week, a slim majority of Mukilteo City Council members tabled taking a vote to appoint James until its Monday, April 4 meeting.
 update: Snohomish Finance Director Scott James has withdrawn from the candidacy, Mukilteo city administrator Steve Powers said April 4.

Snohomish is in the middle of producing its biennial budget. Mayor Linda Redmon said losing James as the city’s finance director saddens her, but a vacancy should not stall the city’s budget process much.
If James leaves, Snohomish will conduct a public hiring process for a new permanent finance director, Redmon said last week. It may require finding an interim director during the search, she said.
James joined Snohomish last summer to take over a vacancy left by Debbie Burton, who stepped out of her role when she moved north. She received an honorary Key to the City as a thank you for doing so much for Snohomish over 14 years.
Burton today is the city of Sedro-Woolley’s finance director.