Mayor Greg Nickels today requested an Ethics and Elections Commission investigation into allegations that preferential treatment regarding snow removal was given to his, and Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis' West Seattle neighborhood during the December 2008 storm.

The lead story of the March 19 issue of The Seattle Times reported that the largest crews were dispatched to the Alki and Admiral neighborhoods where Nickels and Ceis reside.

The mayor's press release on this issue states, "(The Seattle Department of Transportation Department's) internal reports show crews were dispatched to similar duties in other neighborhoods. However, an investigation by the Ethics and Elections Commission will determine whether there were inappropriate operational decisions that violated the ethics code."

“Let me be clear: If I learn that anyone acted improperly or unethically, there will be discipline and consequences," the mayor said in a statement.

"Anyone who lives in West Seattle knows this was not true, and I'm sure those who read The Seattle Times article were greeted by surprise," said Alex Fryer, Deputy Communications Director for Nickels, a former Seattle Times reporter who also lives near the Admiral Junction.

"Operationally, the crews were spread across the city targeting hospitals, wheelchair ramps, and the hilliest areas," said Fryer. "Queen Anne and West Seattle are hilly, and West Seattle got hit longer and deeper with snow than other Seattle neighborhoods."

Fryer said that In the future, the city will be committed to improving customer service on public buses, and Metro folks will be stationed at the Charles Street Metro dispatch.

"But there was no preferential treatment," said Fryer. "The rest of the city reading the (Seattle Times) article will think that while they were under snow, West Seattle was Shangri-La."