Kira Erickson reports from the Langley City Council meeting of Aug. 19, 2024 for the South Whidbey Record.
The Village by the Sea’s head of the Finance Department is resigning – this time, for certain.
In a staff report shared at the most recent city council meeting, Langley Finance Director Wanda Grone wrote that she has announced her retirement from the city effective Oct. 31.
They Said It
Councilmember Chris Carlson said though it was a sad announcement, he felt appreciation for how Grone stabilized the city’s financial operations.
“You’ve put us into a much, much better position, set us up and your successor for just continuing that improvement,” he said.
Councilmember Craig Cyr noted that besides being a city employee, Grone also served as a volunteer on the city’s citizen-led Finance and Personnel Legislative Commission, bringing her expertise and connections to the table.
“Personally, I appreciated developing a friendly working relationship with you, so thanks so much for all your work,” he said. “Langley is really in a debt.”
“But there is only so much I can do here, and to be frank, constantly fixing things and putting out fires is not how I envisioned spending my time,” [Grone] said, adding that she is ready for someone else to take over the position.
“There are a lot of things that I think could be done more efficiently, but there does not seem to be much of an appetite for that around here,” she said.
She said that it’s time for the next generation to use their talents to create positive change.
