Benton County has a new engineer. Daniel Ford, who started Monday, began his engineering career in the county as a draftsman before going to work for a private company and the city of Yakima, said Steve Becken, public works manager.

He'll make a little more than $83,000 a year in the county job and was selected from a pool of 19 applicants. He formally was introduced to Benton County commissioners during their regular meeting Tuesday.

Ford replaces Malcolm Bowie, the former county engineer who resigned in August amid claims of mismanagement and performance issues.

An August letter to Bowie from the county administrator described the alleged problems. Bowie called the letter "scathing, inaccurate and slanderous" and cited a hostile work environment in his resignation.