The “smoking gun” in the firing of Renton Technical College President Don Bressler is Bressler’s appointment of a new top finance officer from within the college’s ranks, without considering outside candidates, says a college trustee who resigned after Bressler’s ouster Tuesday night.

Zwicker cast the lone “no” vote in the 3-1 decision by the college trustees to fire Bressler, who served nine years as the college’s president.

Typically, participants don’t discuss publicly what happened inside a closed executive session. The board has held at least three such sessions to discuss Bressler’s job performance.

However, Zwicker said now that he has resigned from the board, he is free to talk about what happened during those discussions. He is an ardent Bressler supporter.

“I am not a trustee. That’s what I hang my hat on,” he said.

In Zwicker’s view, the hiring of Melinda Merrell as the college’s new top finance officer was the trigger for the executive sessions that ultimately led to Bressler’s firing.

There were other issues as well, Zwicker said. According to Zwicker:

• Trustees were concerned that Bressler was “second guessing” their decisions.

• There were disagreements over changing the board’s monthly meeting times from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• And trustees questioned a ban on out-of-state travel; at least one had a trip planned, Zwicker said. Bressler, in an interview, said such travel would send the “wrong message” at a time when the budget was being cut.

Bressler appointed Melinda Merrell, one of the key deputies in the college’s finance office, to replace long-time vice president Carol Werner, who is retiring from the college effective Oct. 31.

Werner will become acting president after Bressler’s last day, Aug. 21.

The board on Friday selected five candidates to interview for the job of interim president. The candidates’ names will be announced after they are contacted by the college, according to trustee chair Ronnie Behnke.

Initially, Bressler and the board discussed in an executive session appointing an interim replacement for Werner and seek outside candidates, according to Bressler and Zwicker.

However, Bressler said in an interview he chose to hire Merrell because she had been groomed to step up to fill Werner’s position and had actually prepared this year’s budget for the college.

“There’s the smoking gun, when Don appointed the new vice president without opening it up,” Zwicker said. Zwicker said it had been his understanding Bressler planned to appoint an interim vice president.

Bressler has the authority to hire and fire personnel under him.

Zwicker’s comments in the interview come after widespread calls for the trustees to explain their reasoning for firing Bressler, who is a key leader in the community. Zwicker tried, but failed at Tuesday’s meeting to get the trustees to honor Bressler’s contract.

Behnke, the board chair, has cited the contract provision allowing for “termination for convenience” as the reason for Bressler’s firing. Under that provision, the board isn’t required to give a reason.

The board’s formal statement read in part: “The board and president want to take the college in different directions.”

Behnke, a trustee for seven years, said in an interview that people “can speculate all they care to” about the board’s reasons for firing Bressler. She said no gag order was placed on the board to prevent it from speaking in more detail about the firing.

Zwicker, she said, “is entitled to his opinion and that’s fine.”

Behnke said she’s “sure” that Werner is helping Merrell through the process and “getting her up to speed” before she retires.

Behnke indicated she has only met Merrell “a couple times” and is not familiar with her resume or qualifications.

“I would assume Dr. Bressler knew what he was doing,” she said. She said she “hasn’t really thought about” whether the board should have provided some oversight in the Merrell selection. Bressler, she said, has the authority to make such personnel decisions.

Werner’s official title was executive vice president for administration and finance. However, Bressler said he has changed the responsibilities for that job. Now, Merrell will oversee the college’s finances and budget as vice president for finance. Human resources and the Renton Technical College Foundation will report to the president, rather than to the vice president.

“That’s a pretty standard model,” Bressler said.

Now, Zwicker and Bressler are considering their next steps.

Zwicker verbally resigned at Tuesday’s trustees’ meeting, but the board took no formal action to accept it. But Zwicker said it’s his impression that Gov. Chris Gregoire, who appointed him, is the only one who can accept his resignation.

Zwicker is still considering his options. As of Friday, he had yet to submit a letter of resignation to Gregoire. What he plans to do could become clearer early next week, he said.

He has been asked to reconsider his decision by community members, he said. “I am not slamming the door,” he said, on remaining a trustee. His decision to resign came quickly, he said, which is prompting the calls to reconsider.

“I felt it was important to express my opinion,” he said.

Bressler took the day off Friday. He said he is working out the details of his severance package, which includes payment of one year’s salary, or $148,000. He was in the second year of a three-year contract extension.