This Tacoma News-Tribune story looks at whether the City of Puyallup violated the Open Public Meetings Act when it decided to hire a city manager. Some city council members say they "reached an informal consensus on the matter privately," which would be illegal. Other council members deny it.
The story quotes Michele Earl-Hubbard of Allied Law Group.
Update: The TNT adds some newly-discovered details in this February 5, 2008 story.