The Kirkland City Council unanimously voted to discontinue action against sitting Councilmember Bob Sternoff during the Jan. 19 meeting. The vote also makes public the Sherman Report, which examined communications Sternoff wrote on city e-mail of an “inappropriate nature,” by waiving the City of Kirkland’s attorney-client privilege.

The action also triggered Sternoff to drop his litigation against the report and e-mail investigation.

But council’s motion does not end a claim against the city, which was brought by Sternoff’s fiance stemming from personal e-mails and information that was released to the public. The claim reportedly is asking for $750,000 in damages for mental and emotional distress.

And although the vote was 7-0, Councilmember Jessica Greenway voiced some apprehension prior to agreeing to vote for the measure.

“I have very mixed feelings about what we are thinking of doing,” said Greenway. “The result of taking this action achieves a couple of things. It allows us to make the report public … it also has the potential to end pending litigation, which ends up being time consuming and expensive.”

Greenway was one of the primary members discussed in e-mails between Sternoff and his fiance that were sent during council meetings last year.

“As a result of very personal, very insulting and very threatening comments that were made by Mr. Sternoff, that were made over public channels, irreparable damage has been done,” said Greenway. “Serving on the Kirkland City Council is very time consuming and difficult … It is made even more difficult by knowing that one of your colleagues despises you.”

Sternoff also commented on the issue prior to casting a vote: “Jessica, I have apologized to you personally for this, in your office, as I have apologized to anyone else who was mentioned or thought they were mentioned in these e-mails. I don’t despise you, I don’t despise anybody on this council … There is nothing more I can do but apologize.”

Councilmember Amy Walen gave her reasons for moving on from the issues.

“Everyone is a package of good and bad … I think that Mr. Sternoff’s service to the City of Kirkland … is so outstanding and that this error in judgment should be forgiven,” she said.

The motion brings to an end an investigation that cost the city $5,000. It also makes the report by attorney Bill Sherman available to the public upon request.