The attorney for the former City of Pullman Administrator is providing clarification regarding Mike Urban’s departure from city hall.

The city and Mayor Francis Benjamin announced on Tuesday that Urban resigned on Monday. Urban has stated that he did not resign. His attorney, Alexandria Drake, issued a press statement Wednesday, asserting that the city’s claim of Urban’s resignation is “categorically false.”

Urban was placed on paid administrative leave for three weeks starting in late March. On April 17th, the city and Mayor Benjamin announced that allegations against Urban were proven false by an independent third party, and he was welcomed back to work. The allegations were related to a dispute involving the city’s former Police Chief Jake Opgenorth and his ex-mistress, in which Opgenorth reportedly used Urban’s name to conceal messages.

Urban intended to negotiate his return to restore his reputation before returning to city hall, and his attorney states that attempts were made for these discussions. Drake claims that no agreement was reached, and Urban clearly expressed his intention to return to work. She contends that the city illegally terminated Urban and breached his contract, and he plans to pursue all available remedies regarding the city’s actions.

Mayor Benjamin has stated that Urban communicated multiple times his intention not to return to work, which the city interpreted as a resignation. Benjamin has declined to provide further details on this claim, citing legal confidentiality.