Chris Carrel, who has served as the city of Federal Way’s communications and government affairs coordinator for over four years, has left the city, effective Monday.

“While I really appreciate all of [Carrel’s] work and energy and he’s a tremendously talented writer, I felt it was necessary at this time to go in a different direction,” said Mayor Jim Ferrell. “I thank him for his service and I truly wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Ferrell noted that Carrel’s separation from the city was done through a “mutual agreement.” The city will pay Carrel two months salary as part of that agreement. Carrel’s salary was $101,592.

The mayor said the communications and government affairs coordinator position “had gotten to the point where it was doing a number of different things. I want the public information officer to be more focused on media and community relations and not delve into the pseudo-government affairs position. I want it to just be honed in more as a true public information officer position.”

Cathy Schrock, the civilian operations manager for the Federal Way Police Department, will fill the communications coordinator position on an interim basis until the city fills the position.