(The Center Square) — Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent AP (Anthony-Paul) Diaz’s contract was not renewed by new Mayor Katie Wilson, leading to his departure and replacement by Deputy Superintendent of Policy and Finance Michele Finnegan on an interim basis.
Diaz’s departure follows recent scrutiny over his frequent and costly trips – both domestic and international – while in office under previous Mayor Bruce Harrell, who hired Diaz in 2022.
As originally reported by Seattle Red, Diaz traveled extensively across the U.S. and to foreign destinations, including Colombia, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates, while on the job. Some of his international trips exceeded $6,000 each. Taxpayer dollars were not always used, and there is no evidence that any policies or rules were violated…