Almost a month after being placed on paid administrative leave, the employment status of Langley’s planning director remains uncertain.

Mayor Fred McCarthy said Thursday he hoped to be able to explain the reason for his decision to put Michael Davolio, the director of the Langley Community Planning department, on paid leave soon but he couldn’t do so yet.

McCarthy informed the planning director of the move Oct. 22. The length of time was agreed to by both the mayor and Davolio, said McCarthy, and vetted by the city’s legal counsel.

“It just seemed like a reasonable amount of time to give him to make some personal decisions,” he said.

That status changed earlier this week — Davolio is now on unpaid administrative leave. Asked what the difference is between that and being fired or having the position terminated, McCarthy said Davolio is still an employee of the city.

“I’m hopeful that we might even have closure this week or so,” McCarthy said.

Davolio could not be reached by press time Friday for this story.

McCarthy declined to say why the personnel decision was made. Instead the mayor said he wanted to respect Davolio’s privacy and let the process go through the proper steps.

“I’m still not able to say that yet,” he said.

The mayor reiterated previous statements that nothing criminal occurred, and that he made the decision.

Davolio was hired by McCarthy in December 2014 after a 25-year career that saw him work in private and public planning capacities, even as far away as Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates. He began his duties as planning director in January.

Since joining the city, many of his decisions have been criticized and questioned.

Most recently, he and the city’s planning advisory board clashed over the recommendation for the urban growth area. At first, he wanted it to shrink, but not as much as the planning board, and proposed reserving land at the entrances to the city to create commercial “gateways” to Langley. The planning board members and county were adamant that the property projections did not justify such a plan, plus the city did not have the resources to plan or build urban services out to the lots he proposed retaining in the growth area. Davolio eventually agreed with the board.

Davolio’s work on the city’s waterfront access also drew ire, this time from the public. After a workshop on the issue of improving the connection between the downtown business district and the marina, he suggested a smaller funicular from Seawall Park to First Street. Also discussed was the possibility of a long-term pursuit to create a waterfront walkway from the park to the marina, which was already in the city’s comprehensive plan but had been largely criticized by waterfront property owners whose land would require an easement or use of eminent domain for such construction.

The rollout of the food truck ordinance earlier this year was rife with problems about location and length, which stemmed from work done by a previous planning director before he took over the office.

McCarthy said the city council may have an opportunity to weigh in on the personnel decision at its next regular meeting, Monday, Dec. 7.

An interim planning director, Jack Lynch, was hired through December. Lynch previously worked for the city for a few months before Davolio was hired, and had served the city decades before that. In addition to reviewing permits and other regular planning services, Lynch is working on the city’s comprehensive plan update and creating a list of future and emerging projects.