Benton County puts top administrator on leave. Planner will now oversee jail takeover

Benton County placed its top administrator on paid leave Tuesday.

Loretta Smith-Kelty is a long-time administrator who was appointed as interim county administrator following the retirement of David Sparks.

Smith-Kelty, 55, was at home ill on Tuesday when she was notified by phone that she was being placed on paid leave. No reason was given.

Commissioners Shon Small and Jim Beaver voted Tuesday to place the deputy county administrator on leave after they came out of a closed-door executive session on a personnel matter. Commissioner Jerome Delvin is on vacation.

Small and Beaver did not reply to messages from the Herald on Wednesday about the decision.

Smith-Kelty joined the county in 2003 and served as deputy administrator under Sparks.

She was paid an annual salary of nearly $129,000 in 2018, according to records requested under the Washington Public Records Act. Sparks earned nearly $147,000.

Last week, the county commission moved to take over the 740-bed county jail from Sheriff Jerry Hatcher. The move placed it under her leadership.

This week, the county appointed Jerrod MacPherson, the county planning manager, to oversee the jail transition.

He will oversee the newly-hired Jail Commander Scott Souza and Capt. Josh Shelton.

The county has not announced plans to fill the administrator position since Sparks left earlier this year.

Sheriff wants jail back

Sheriff Jerry Hatcher told the Tri-City Herald on Wednesday he respects MacPherson as a planner but is concerned he lacks law enforcement and corrections experience.

“He has no experience with the jail,” he said. “Are we creating even a worse situation here?”

The jail typically houses about 600 inmates, including prisoners held under contract for the state Department of Corrections and the U.S. Marshals office.

Jail operations consume nearly 30 percent of the county’s entire budget.

Hatcher again called on county commissioners to transfer control back to the sheriff’s office, saying he has the expertise necessary.

“The days of just throwing people in the cell and turning the key just don’t exist anymore. Inmates have rights and they have conditions that have to be treated by law. We are in touch with that,” he said.

The Benton County Commission voted 2-1 to take control of the jail from Hatcher on Oct. 22 in a flurry of mutual accusations of mismanagement. Small voted no.

The takeover took effect at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 23.

Hatcher is under scrutiny over accusations he assaulted his estranged wife, Monica, during an argument over his affair. The Washington State Patrol and Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating.

Hatcher said the jail shouldn’t be a pawn because of his personal issues.

“It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about public safety.

This story was originally published October 30, 2019 at 11:19 AM.