Seattle Parks Superintendent dismissed after financial controversy revealed

The superintendent of the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department has been dismissed after his contract was not renewed, the City of Seattle confirmed.

Earlier Wednesday, sources shared an internal email with KIRO Newsradio from the head of the parks department to staff, relaying that Mayor Katie Wilson had not renewed the superintendent’s contract.

“At the Parks Department, AP Diaz will be leaving as director, and Michele Finnegan will serve as interim director,” the City of Seattle stated.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have led the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department,” Diaz said in a prepared statement. “With a workforce of nearly 2,000 employees, they are the ones who make Seattle’s Parks the 8th best park system in America. Even in the rainy, cold, and darkest of days, they show up and out for community — providing exceptional park experiences, with a love and commitment to enriching the lives of children, teens, adults, and our aging population.”

According to Seattle Red, the city’s Parks and Recreation superintendent, AP Diaz, was often thousands of miles away — sometimes on the other side of the world — spending thousands in taxpayer dollars on work trips while working under former Mayor Bruce Harrell.

While Mayor Katie Wilson’s office confirmed Diaz will no longer be the superintendent of the Parks and Recreation Department, the reason for not renewing is contract is still unclear. KIRO Newsradio reached out to the mayor’s office for additional explanation.

Documents obtained by The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red 770 AM showed that Diaz undertook extensive international and out-of-state travel spanning France, Colombia, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, and other international destinations, as well as cities across the United States. Individual trips routinely cost taxpayers, with some international travel exceeding $6,000. Tax dollars were not, however, always used.

Superintendent scrutinized by new mayor

A City Hall source told The Jason Rantz Show that the mayor’s office is aware of the scope and cost of Diaz’s travel, viewing it as problematic. The source said Wilson and her team are currently meeting with department heads to determine who will remain in their roles, with Diaz’s travel history expected to factor into that decision.

It’s unclear if Harrell personally knew about the extensive travel, but his administration approved the trips. The former mayor did not respond to a request for comment.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

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