The Burien City Council voted Monday night to place City Manager Adolfo Bailon on paid administrative leave following a closed-door executive session.

On Tuesday, the City appointed Public Works Director Rod Steitzer temporarily as "acting" city manager. The City has yet to fill the interim position.

The April 13 vote came days after Bailon publicly rejected an earlier directive placing him on leave, calling it unauthorized and saying he would continue reporting to work.

An internal memorandum dated April 9 states Bailon was placed on paid administrative leave effective 5:00 p.m. that day, pending an investigation into alleged violations of City personnel policies.

Those allegations reference actions on May 21, 2025, March 24, 2026, and April 1, 2026, including use of the City’s complaint process and a recent employee termination.

Within hours of receiving the memo, Bailon pushed back.

In messages sent to the full council April 9 and April 10, he wrote that the city manager reports to the full council, not individual members, and said no formal council action had been taken at that time.

He said he would continue reporting to work.

Bailon also alleged that Mayor Sarah Moore directed staff to carry out the action and that the directive was presented to staff as if it came from the full council.

"Staff," he wrote, "felt they were not in a position to refuse."

In a follow-up message, Bailon said city departments were unaware of any authorization for the mayor to engage outside legal counsel, adding that it appeared she had communicated directly with a law firm.

He described the situation as “reckless and dangerous,” said he directed the matter to be reported to the Washington Cities Insurance Authority as a harassment concern, and stated he would involve legal counsel.

Approximately four weeks earlier, during a Burien City Council meeting, Mayor Moore stated she believed she had enough votes to remove the city manager. At the following meeting, Council members Kevin Schilling and Linda Akey pushed back, raising concerns that the votes may have been discussed outside a public meeting.

The sequence of events shows a directive issued days before a formal council vote.

The council’s April 13 vote formalized the leave, though no public explanation was given at the time for the action.

The Highline Journal contacted Bailon for additional comment. He declined.

A related letter to the editor published alongside this article outlines how the council-manager form of government is intended to function.

Burien Residents Speak Out on Council Confusion and Transparency | Letter to the Editor
Confusion grows as residents question council conduct, legal compliance, and whether Burien leadership is operating within required rules and public trust.
The Highline JournalGuest Writer

The Highline Journal is publishing the relevant documents in full below.

Memo 1: Notice of Investigation and Placement on Paid Administrative Leave

To: Adolfo Bailon, City Manager
From: Mei Kearns, Human Resources Manager
CC: Sarah Moore, Mayor; Hugo Garcia, Deputy Mayor; City Council

Date: April 9, 2026

Re: Notice of Investigation and Placement on Paid Administrative Leave

Mr. Bailon,

This letter is notification that you are being placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with City of Burien Personnel Policy 7.9, effective 5:00 p.m. on April 9, 2026, until further notice.

The City has received complaints alleging that you violated City policy in connection with your use of the City’s complaint process on May 21, 2025, and March 24, 2026, and your decision to terminate a City employee on April 1, 2026.

These allegations involve possible violations of the following Personnel Policies:

• 2.04 — Reporting Discrimination or Harassment
• 2.05 — Reporting Improper Governmental Action (Whistleblower Protection Act)
• 8.07 — Complaint Procedure and Problem Solving Process
• 9.01 — Guidelines for Discipline

You are being placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an inquiry into these allegations.

While on administrative leave, you are directed to remain immediately accessible in person or by phone, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You are directed not to return to the workplace and not to contact any co-workers regarding work matters.

You may be scheduled for an investigatory meeting at a later date.

This matter is considered confidential. You are not to disclose or discuss information related to this investigation, except with your attorney or other representatives, if you choose.

If you have any questions, please contact me at Meik@burienwa.gov.

Memo 2: Response from Adolfo Bailon (April 9)

From: Adolfo Bailon
To: City Council
Subject: Harassment – Mayor and Deputy Mayor

Hello Council,

Earlier today Mayor Sarah Moore exceeded her authority as a member of the Burien City Council and attempted to mislead staff by providing information that is not supported by actions of the Burien City Council.

Mayor Sarah Moore directed the Human Services Manager to deliver a letter to the city manager stating that the city manager was being placed on paid administrative leave as of 5:00 p.m. this evening.

I have informed staff that the mayor has overstepped her authority in this matter, as the city manager reports to the full City Council, not to one or two members acting independently.

The Burien City Council has not taken a position on this matter and, therefore, I do not accept the letter as an official action of my supervisors. I will continue to report to work and fulfill my obligations to the council and City staff.

The actions of the mayor placed significant pressure on staff, who felt they were not in a position to refuse direction from a council member. This creates a concerning precedent and raises serious concerns about the direction of City operations.

I have directed the Human Resources Manager to report this incident to the Washington Cities Insurance Authority as a matter of continued harassment. I will also forward the matter to my attorney.

I will continue to report to work and remain available to the full council. Please contact me if you have questions.

Sincerely,
Adolfo Bailon
City Manager

Memo 3: Follow-Up from Adolfo Bailon (April 10)

From: Adolfo Bailon
To: City Council
Subject: Mayor’s communication with staff – “framed as coming from city council”

Hello Council,

I write to share information that I believe is important for the full council body.

Today I received confirmation from City staff that Mayor Moore called the Human Resources Manager directly to issue instructions and direct staff to take action. Staff reported that “the request was being framed as coming from council members.”

After speaking with several of you, it was confirmed that the City Council has not taken action on this issue and that councilmembers did not have advance knowledge of the mayor’s actions.

City departments, including Legal and Administrative Services, also confirmed they were not aware of any authorization for the mayor to work directly with a law firm. In this case, it appears the mayor has been in direct communication with Summit Law.

Thank you,
Adolfo Bailon

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