Fuhr retires as city manager after resigning from MLSD Board

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Manager Kevin Fuhr has decided to retire as of June 30, citing health reasons, according to a press release from the city of Moses Lake. He also recently resigned from his post on the Moses Lake School District Board of Directors for the same reason.

“It's just, you know, a combination of in and out of the hospital the last six weeks, and you know, I've missed about four weeks of work. And I just, I can't, in good conscience, run a city this size with all that we have going on from a hospital bed. And so I felt like I was doing a disservice to the city by not being here when I need to be,” Fuhr said during a brief interview Monday. 

Last year, Fuhr underwent surgery to remove a portion of his liver that had been impacted by cancer and had hoped to be on the mend at that time, but the cancer returned. The hospital stays over the last six weeks or so have involved two surgeries, he said, to deal with cancer spreading into his lung and liver and subsequent recovery times. Fuhr said he isn’t dying but sees a need to focus on getting his health under control.

Fuhr was in the Moses Lake Police Chief’s position during the time the initial surgery happened in 2023. After City Manager Allison Williams left her role with Moses Lake, Fuhr was selected as interim city manager and eventually confirmed as the permanent city manager by the Moses Lake City Council in October of 2023. 

Prior to taking the lead administrative role with the city, Fuhr had served in law enforcement for more than 30 years, a career he’s said he’s proud of. 

Fuhr said he’s got a goal in mind as he resigns and works to focus on kicking cancer aside. 

“I’m hoping that I can get healthy enough and that I can go do something different,” he said. “I mean, to find something else to do, and it may not be leading a city. It may not be something as much as what I’m doing now, but find something in the community that I can go do and still give back to the community and get out there and work — just after I get my health back in line and I can focus on something new.” 

School district and city representatives expressed appreciation for Fuhr’s contributions to the city in his roles as police department chief, city manager and school board member.

“The Moses Lake School District wishes to extend sincere gratitude for Kevin Fuhr's service on its Board of Directors in the roles of Board Chair and school board member. Mr. Fuhr provided kind, compassionate leadership to fellow Board members and employees of the school district, as well as invaluable connections to the community at large. Kevin will be deeply missed as a member of the Board,” said MLSD Interim Superintendent Carol Lewis.

Moses Lake Mayor Dustin Swartz said Fuhr had done a lot to improve the city both as police chief and as city manager. He was great at connecting with community members to learn about their concerns, identify problems that could be resolved and elevate Moses Lake’s policies and practices using a balance of pragmatism and compassion. Those issues included homelessness and reaching out to businesses to find out what their frustrations were as they interacted with city staff.

“One of the things I will say about Kevin, and it’s something that a lot of people don’t understand, but the job of city manager; a lot of it is behind the scenes, and what was so amazing about Kevin is that he really saw himself as a community member,” Moses Lake Mayor Dustin Swartz said. 

The mayor said he was aware that Fuhr had done a great deal of one-on-one outreach with community members including business owners, residents and those concerned about issues like homelessness. 

Homelessness, in particular, is something the city has had success with in comparison to other municipalities, Swartz said. He gave Fuhr credit for the progress made and said he hoped the momentum on that and other issues would continue. 

Swartz said the next steps for the city would be to first select an interim city manager who could move the city forward and create a foundation for whomever the city brings in as a permanent city manager for the role. 

MLPD Chief David Sands, who served under Fuhr as a captain before Fuhr took on the City Manager role and Sands was promoted to succeed him, said it would be difficult to see Fuhr leave but understandable.

“I am sad to see him go, but ecstatic for him! In Kevin's eight years with the city he has done so much to make us better — for goodness sake, someone named an award after him. I am glad he will have the time to come back to coffee with (MLPD staff) in the mornings,” Sands said in a written response to questions from the Columbia Basin Herald.

R. Hans “Rob” Miller may be reached at editor@columbiabasinherald.com. 

    Kevin Fuhr left his role as Moses Lake Police Chief in November of 2023 to take on the role of Moses Lake City Manager. Fuhr has had health issues since then and has opted to retire and focus on his recovery.
  

    Kevin Fuhr is sworn into office on the Moses Lake School District Board of Directors in December 2021. Fuhr went on to serve as board president until the end of last year.