Kennewick mayor fired by DSHS for ‘inappropriate relationship’ with welfare client

Kennewick Mayor Don Britain has been fired from his job at the state Department of Social and Health Services after the Washington State Patrol investigated a complaint about an “inappropriate relationship” with a female client.

Britain told the Herald he was disappointed by DSHS’s move to terminate him over what he called a policy violation.

He denied having a personal or sexual relationship with the unnamed client, who has two young children.

Britain said a health scare several years ago prompted him to go beyond his official job duties to help people in need. The client was one of many he helped, he said.

Britain said he regularly provides food, clothing, school supplies, baby clothes and other items to the needy families he encountered as a case manager administering the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program at the Kennewick Community Office.

Britain said he’s engaged an attorney to review what he called irregularities in how DSHS handled the complaint, but plans to look ahead.

“I’m a believer in good things happen to those people who help people,” he said.

DSHS has sharp words

DSHS officials had sharp words for the Kennewick mayor.

The department issued a statement about his termination and released a redacted 200-page report on the investigation.

“I am deeply disappointed by this former employee’s willful violations of our agency’s policies,” said David Stillman, assistant secretary for DSHS’s Economic Services Administration. The agency administers public benefits programs such as food and cash assistance.

DSHS received the anonymous complaint against Britain on Sept. 23. It alleged an inappropriate relationship and that the unnamed client wasn’t reporting income from Britain. No criminal misconduct is alleged.

The state announced his firing on Tuesday, the same day Britain and his wife, Linda, finalized their divorce in Benton County Superior Court. The couple filed in March.

Living together

According to the investigation, Britain and the client signed a six-month lease for an apartment for January to June 2019. It was later renewed through December. Britain paid the rent with his debit card.

Investigators visited the apartment searching for the two adults. A young child answered the knock on the door, but locked the door. Concerned that children were home alone, the investigator announced that she was a police officer.

A young woman answered. She identified herself as a babysitter but said she didn’t know a “Don” when asked if Britain was home. The detective was leaving when she saw Britain walk up to the apartment, go inside and close the door.

The investigator later confirmed Britain’s identity from his city council portrait. Neighbors confirmed they had seen him there.

Britain later told investigators he had known the woman for about a year and a half and had become sympathetic to her situation.

When she was in danger of losing her housing in February or March, he offered to let her and her children stay at his apartment. He later acknowledged it was actually January.

Britain told investigators the woman helped pay for utilities and buy food for herself and her children.

He told the investigator the woman’s name had to be added to the lease in order for her to stay there.

He noted he didn’t notify his supervisor about the unusual living arrangements because it was not romantic and wasn’t expected to be permanent.

Britain denied wrongdoing in his interview.

“If you are asking me if I crossed the line, I did. I’m not ashamed of it. I don’t regret it,” he told investigators, according to the report.

Hawaii trip

The relationship included a joint trip to Hawaii from Aug. 29 to Sept. 4.

Britain told investigators he asked the client to “tag along” on the trip to visit a friend who had been in a car accident. Britain paid for the trip with airline miles but said he did not cover any of her costs.

She stayed with a friend, and he stayed in separate accommodations, according to the report.

The client posted images of herself in luxurious Hawaiian spots on her Facebook account, as well as a photo of herself posing close to Britain at Heels & Blazers, a Sept. 28 dance held at a Pasco hotel.

In one post, the woman wrote, “Y’all goofy if you think talking bout me having IT A.O.T is bad? Lol (smiley face) the white man got me. Credit good, car, place... where you at in life?”

In the comment thread, she explained that A.O.T. refers to “all on a trick.”

Lives in his district

Lexis-Nexis records indicate Britain has a regular address at a condominium on Noelani Way, Kailua Kona Hawaii. Hawaii County property records indicate he is not the legal owner of the property.

As of Tuesday, he still owned a single family home in Kennewick with his ex-wife, Benton County property records indicate..

Britain is the Ward 1 representative of western Kennewick on the seven-member city council. He said his current apartment is in the ward, a requirement of office.

His term is up for election in 2021.

The investigation into Britain is the latest in a series of upsets involving the city of Kennewick this year.

The council voted 3-2 to pay the legal fees of the late Steve Young when he faced a recall over his role in a $8.1 million judgment against his former employer over its treatment of one of his employees. Britain supported helping the embattled councilman.

Young died in May. Neither he nor his estate has submitted legal bills to the city.

The council again split over censoring Councilman John Trumbo for his unauthorized investigation into rumors concerning Mayor Pro Tem Steve Lee. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office called the rumor groundless. The council voted 5-2 to censure Trumbo, with Britain leading the majority.

More recently, the council faced a room full of angry citizens over the combative departure of Fire Chief Vince Beasley, who separated from his employer of 37 years after publicly complaining the city was trying to fire him.

The council declined to act, noting hiring and firing decisions rest with the city manager.

The Kennewick City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. the first through fourth Tuesdays of the month at Kennewick City Hall, 210 W. Sixth Ave. There is no Oct. 29 meeting since it is the fifth Tuesday of October.

Meetings are broadcast on the city website: go2kennewick.com/1256/Council-Meeting-Broadcasts

This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 5:10 PM.