After a couple of weeks of moderate moves, Mayor Katie Wilson has made a serious blunder. Her precipitous firing of Dawn Roth Lindell as General Manager and CEO of Seattle City Light was an error of judgment guaranteed to haunt her and potentially do disservice to the utility’s half million customers and 1,800 employees.
Without any public notice or warning, Wilson removed Lindell and at the same time announced appointment of Dennis McLerran, a respected environmental attorney. He formerly served as regional director of the Environmental Protection Agency but has no direct experience overseeing an electric utility.
Wilson fired a seasoned professional in Lindell. Hired in June 2024 after an extensive search by an 11-member selection committee, Lindell brought with her 25 years of experience in leadership roles in Colorado and California. In her year and a half at City Light, Lindell focused on increasing electrical sustainability and was acclaimed for her environmental stewardship. She instituted needed reforms prompted by a workplace scandal that came to light before her hiring; she worked closely with union leadership and gained respect for her leadership.
Lindell’s firing was especially problematic at a time when City Light is approaching critical decisions about acquiring new sources of power to head off looming energy shortages. Mayor Wilson ignored the sensitivity required when undertaking such an experienced replacement. Electric power is experiencing unprecedented demands, and the utility is engaged in the complex process of relicensing Skagit and Tolt River dams.
In past hiring at City Light, Seattle mayors have enlisted selection committees capable of assessing candidates’ credentials and experience. Wilson ignored that customary step. She offered no specific reasons for Lindell’s firing, nor for neglecting an open search involving the City Light unions and interested community members.
When he arrives this month, McLerran will be taking over from Craig Smith who has been serving in an interim role. McLerran too will be acting as interim CEO and perhaps will serve only until a more experienced candidate emerges.
Wilson’s replacement of Lindell has been roundly criticized for lacking transparency by the MLK Labor Council (a coalition of local unions). Thousands of IBEW77 (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) union members have signed a petition demanding rehiring Lindell. Wilson’s actions also are being questioned by members of the Seattle City Council. Councilmember Bob Kettle called for rehiring Lindell, as have some union leaders. Both the utility’s unions and the labor council proposed hiring former Mayor Bruce Harrell as City Light CEO.
Whatever steps taken by Mayor Wilson, she will have to live with her rash action. Her thoughtless moves could adversely impact City Light’s standing as one of the nation’s most respected municipally-owned energy companies.
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Jean Godden’s assessment that Mayor Wilson’s abrupt dismissal of City Light Superintendant Dawn Roth Lindell is “an error of judgement” is spot on. Her action portends what may well be a character trait of flawed judgement.
Godden points out the daunting challenges facing Seattle’s storied electric utility. Those include the relicensing of City Light’s historic Skagit River hydroelectric complex outlined this morning in The Seattle Times. This matter is now in the long and complicated process with state and federal authorities.
This is not knock on the man Wilson wants to replace Lindell, environmental attorney Dennis McLerran. It is simply that he is the wrong man at the wrong time for the wrong reason. He has never managed an electric utility. Ms. Lindell has an acknowledged record of solid achievement.
So is Wilson’s decision here a payoff for some unknown political deal she made to help get elected? It’s a fair question.
What this uncalled for move does indicate is this: Wilson lacks any substantial understanding of how important–is sacred too strong a sentiment–City Light is in Seattle. A pioneering public-power company born at a time when private capitalists were buying utilities and charging high rates for this all-important source of energy, City Light is not just another business here.
Those of us who grew up on the City Light side of the street, remember the adults arguing over which was better with those across the street served by the private Puget Sound Power and Light Company, whose rates were significantly higher.
The City Council should withhold approving Mr. McLerran’s appointment and negotiate with Mayor Wilson the return of Ms. Lindell’s return in the hope she will agree to come back.
However this blunder turns out, Wilson now owns City Light issues. She better get them right.
I have no idea whether this is a bad decision or not. Neither do you. You don’t like the decision, I understand that. What I don’t understand Is the rush to judgment.
The mayor fired a competent individual and is replacing her with someone who is clueless. Do you understand that? I don’t live in Seattle however if City Lights is run by one who’s incompetent then it’s possible your electric bill will surge which no one wants but you now deserve due to the mayor who isn’t knowledgeable in all elements of her job.
There has to have been a reason behind this. We have no idea at all what it was.
It’s easy to imagine that, if we knew the reason, some people would support this, others wouldn’t. Not knowing, I can’t guess what side I’d be on, but maybe the interesting thing is that she doesn’t seem to care about that. Lindell is out, and the reasons do not happen to be the public’s business. Perhaps a little atypical for a politician, and clearly not to the taste of the news media.
The rush to judgemental was clearly stated above. Firing a proven leader and replacing that leader with somebody that has no credentials. It is a poor decision.
This lady is going to be the end of Seattle. I’m not trying to be mean but why the people elected her I do not understand. So glad I moved out of there
Typical bone-headed move by the inexperienced “leadership” of Seattle.
Someone needed to tell Mayor Wilson: Whatever you do, don’t mess with the IBEW. I remember when Mayor Royer decided to ease out Gordon Vickery and barely survived the chaos that ensued.
As chair of the City Council’s Energy Committee when I was a councilmember, I had the privilege of getting to know a good deal about City Light challenges and strengths. I also am aware of Dennis McLerran’s fine environmental record.
However, running City Light still would be an immense task for anyone. Dawn Lindell seemed up to the assignment and it might not be a plus to have her replaced. Hope the Council looks into the problem and possibly have McLerran serving in another capacity (Sustainability Committee?) while opting for Lindell’s return if it’s not too late.
Total lack of experience.
I have no opinion on whether or not the mayor made the right decision in dismissing the City Light director: But I do know enough about the back story to know that the conventional wisdom about this decision – as exemplified here – is rushing to a vibes-based judgment based on incomplete information.
But Sandeep,
isn’t the lack of explanation by Mayor Wilson precisely the conditions which lead to
“vibes-based judgment based on incomplete information”?
If the public had been informed, the public judgment — one way or another— would be based on facts rather than vibes?
Personally, I find the whole matter mysterious. And I don’t like mystery when it comes to governance,
What does this line tell us:
“Both the utility’s unions and the labor council proposed hiring former Mayor Bruce Harrell as City Light CEO.”
The comments from Mr. Kaushik (who should know better) and others is that the Mayor’s deserved forbearance because she must have had a good reason. To these, it makes no difference that she has not been forthcoming, that is to say, honest, about this decision.
Mayor Wilson’s lack of executive-level experience now is on full display. Yes she wants to build 1,000 shelter beds. OK. But some 800,000 people including businesses and homeless folks relay on a well run, effective electricity-delivery
system. Ms.Lindell did that and well. Removing her now is a major mistake.
You have no clue. I work for the utility, and it’s nothing but a circus. The mayor should have fired the entire top leadership. She fired Lindell partly because Lindell upset the union when she tried to address the drinking culture among SCL field workers. However, Lindell also failed to deliver on the Time of Use program and other key initiatives. She simply wasn’t a quick learner.
Clearly the Mayor read your story, Jean, because today she announced that McLerran will step aside to become “Deputy General Manager” and the current COO, Rob Santoff, will step up to become “Acting General Manager and CEO,” pending a search for a permanent CEO. In her announcement she didn’t discuss Lindell.
I can tell the writer and some commentators here are not aware of the story behind the closed door. Mayor Wilson did the right thing by showing a red card to Lindell. Dawn made too many mistakes. She relied on incompetent bureaucrats around her, including Craig Smith. She failed to stop the widespread sexual harassment and drinking culture at SCL. She was hired to implement the multimillion-dollar Time of Use program, but she failed miserably. She also failed to hire competent people and failed to protect whistleblowers. As a result, the City is now facing multiple lawsuits. The union has behaved like an anaconda that only hunts and sleeps. We need to give Wilson full support she is trying to fix a very corrupt and incompetent utility.
“You don’t know the real inside story.” No, we don’t.
(Nor do we know if you are actually a Wilson hack, claiming to have insider knowledge, fluffing up the Mayor’s alleged wisdom while expecting the rest of us to take it on faith that this was a sound decision.)
This is why honest elected leaders provide sensible and transparent explanations for their actions. The number of people who are excusing Wilson’s failure to do so is a little depressing.
Bob, I actually agree with you on one thing people shouldn’t take things “on faith.” That’s exactly why some of us who work at Seattle City Light welcome change when performance isn’t where it should be.
For the record, I don’t know Katie Wilson personally, and I’m definitely not on her Christmas card list. I’m just an SCL employee who thinks improvement is a good thing regardless of which politician.
Leadership changes at a $1-billion public utility aren’t exactly unheard of.
Inside the utility, we’ve had years of issues cultural problems, misconduct investigations, and operational challenges that even leadership acknowledged needed fixing. 
So some of us see a leadership change not as a conspiracy but as an attempt to fix a struggling system.
As for the “Wilson hack” theory I hate to disappoint you, Bob, but I’m just a guy who pays the same Seattle taxes you do and wants the utility I work for to function better.
If supporting improvement makes me a “hack,” then Seattle needs a lot more hacks.
And Bob, judging by the emotional investment in this thread, the only thing that seems truly depressing here is how personally you’ve taken the leadership change. Sometimes a red card is just a red card
I’m not just “excusing” Wilson’s failure to run over the personnel she dismisses, with chapter and verse on what they did wrong and why they don’t deserve to keep their jobs. That’s crazy.
Lindell went out the door with “Mayor Wilson is grateful for Dawn Lindell’s stewardship of the utility for the past few years” (mayor’s blog), and that’s all the “transparency” anyone’s entitled to. The management of city departments is Wilson’s job, and she owes no one an accounting for her decisions even if it weren’t bound to turn into a hatchet job. The idea is so strikingly absurd that I have to wonder if any mayor before her was subject to this kind of expectation.
Well, the plot thickens. A little anyway; I guess it’s almost natural at any big institution – controversies, entrenched problems, people with axes to grind, etc.
One good thing about signing up with the Wilson city hall — you know she could decide to can you, but she isn’t going to throw you under the bus just to defend herself from critics. Lindell may want to get a job somewhere else. Today, she’s the respected professional who cleaned up this, and was acclaimed for that, and Wilson is willing to leave it that way and take the beating from the union et al. For for someone with supposedly no experience, Wilson may be the kind to build up one of the better city halls.
Among the (always) interesting comments are those from people who hide. Mike claims to have inside facts. Who is he? One who won’t say. Why should believe him? At least Mr. Kaushik, a prominent political consultant, stands up for his point of view. Former Councilmember Godden is right: the City Council should at minimum hold a hearing and ask the Mayor to explain her decision.
I’m not asking you to take my word for it, just do your own due diligence. Check both of the points I raised and you’ll find the answer. The data is out there. I stay anonymous because I don’t want retaliation. The way you are opposing Wilson makes it seem like you’re pushing opinions to serve an agenda. So tell me, Sam who are you really serving?
Lindell was beyond repair. It was difficult but a right decision by the new mayor. She is trying to clean up the mess left by previous administration.