The fate of Michael Davolio’s position as Langley’s planning chief may be decided next week.

Mayor Fred McCarthy, speaking by phone Thursday, said the city council is set to discuss in executive session Monday, Dec. 7, a personnel evaluation and possible litigation “to make sure everybody’s clear of all the details,” before resuming the regular, open council meeting and approving an action and an agreement. He declined to offer any more details.

“I can’t say more than that,” McCarthy said.

The mayor did, however, dismiss rumors that Davolio has already been fired, confirming that he remains a city employee.

The planning director was put on unpaid administrative leave Nov. 16 after first being placed on paid administrative leave Oct. 22.

Davolio was hired to take over the city’s planning duties in January, after the previous planner, Jeff Arango, resigned to take a different job in Seattle. Since taking over, some planning decisions have come under scrutiny, from the food truck ordinance implementation to marina access options to the city’s urban growth area proposal.

The planning director and members of the city’s Planning Advisory Board disagreed over the proper size for Langley’s urban growth area. Considered as part of Island County’s comprehensive plan update, the city board wanted to essentially shrink the urban growth area to city boundaries, with a few exceptions that were required by existing property rights. Davolio agreed that the urban growth area should shrink, but disagreed by how much until after meeting with Island County planning staff and getting reassurances that, if necessary, the city would be able to expand the area in coming years. Essentially, Davolio disagreed with the modest population projection the county was using, and wanted to make sure Langley could grow if it needed, and the answer was yes.

McCarthy said the city is not preparing to find a new planning director. Interim planning Director Jack Lynch was hired on a contract through December, with a provision to stay on longer if necessary.

The decision to place Davolio on administrative leave was not a disciplinary measure, McCarthy said. He listed five steps in progressive discipline: verbal warning, written warning, leave with pay, leave without pay, and termination, but again reiterated that the action was not disciplinary in nature.

“We may not have gone through all the steps, we may not be going through all the steps,” McCarthy said.