Franklin County administrator keeps his job after calls to fire him

Franklin County Commissioner Rocky Mullen stepped back Tuesday from his attempt to fire the county administrator.

He said publicly he and Administrator Keith Johnson have agreed to try to work better together.

The two met the morning after last Tuesday’s meeting when Mullen made a sudden motion to fire Johnson and the issue was continued to this week.

“Out of this meeting came a mutual decision to work together and what was to be expected from each other,” Mullen said in a statement that he read at this week’s commission meeting in Pasco. “I gave my word to Mr. Johnson that I would work with him and together we would move forward. I have to stand by my word to fulfill this commitment.”

Mullen’s announcement was met with a smattering of applause from people attending the meeting and a handshake from Commissioner Brad Peck.

Commissioner Clint Didier did not comment on Mullen’s statement.

Mullen went on to explain he made the motion because he felt he was not being updated about all of the issues in the county.

Since the commissioners are not legally allowed to talk to each other about county issues outside of a public meeting because it would constitute a quorum of the three-person board, they rely on Johnson to provide them info.

“As commissioners together we sit on over 70 boards combined, we don’t always know what is happening with each others boards we can only communicate with each other in open meetings,” he said in his statement.

Mullen’s April 6 motion was the second time in less than two months that Johnson’s employment with the county was threatened. Didier moved to fire him on Feb. 23 but didn’t have the support of a second commissioner.

If successful, firing Johnson could cost the county at least $70,000 under the terms of Johnson’s employment agreement obtained by the Herald.

Mullen said that prior to Didier’s February motion, Mullen had only met with Johnson once outside of the commission meeting since Mullen took office in January.

After meeting with Johnson for two hours following that February motion, Mullen said he hadn’t seen much response from Johnson for improving communications.

“With our latest meeting, I believe we are perfectly clear on what is expected from each other and that Mr. Johnson has assured me that moving forward all county-related business will be given equally to all three commissioners,” he said in his statement. “It is my desire that all of us work together in unity.”

Administrator’s agreement

Johnson, a former Idaho official, joined Franklin County in 2015 after longtime administrator, Fred Bowen, left to take a job as a road superintendent with Benton County’s public works department.

The county administrator’s duties include helping with budgeting and reporting to the commissioners in addition to overseeing the county departments that don’t have an elected official in charge. That includes public works, building and planning and human resources.

It does not include managing the assessor, auditor, sheriff, prosecutor, county clerk or treasurer office functions or employees.

Johnson has a law degree from the University of Denver and is a certified public accountant in Idaho. He served as the director of Department of Administration in Idaho before taking a job with Oracle.

The most recent resolution approving the terms of his employment was signed in January 2020. It set his base salary at just over $141,000 with eligibility for cost of living increases.

If he is fired without cause, the county must pay six months salary, says the contract.

It’s not clear whether the commissioners would fight that payment.

Tri-Cities leaders

The motion to fire Johnson drew concerns from some public officials in the Tri-Cities.

Kennewick City Manager Marie Mosley read a letter at the meeting from the city managers in Pasco, Kennewick and Richland and the mayor in West Richland.

“In our professional experience working with many cities and counties across the state of Washington we have found Mr. Johnson to be among the most responsive, intelligent and open-minded county administrator we have worked with,” Mosley said in the statement. Pasco City Manager Dave Zabell and West Richland Mayor Brent Gary also were at Tuesday’s session.

Johnson provides thoughtful input into decisions while representing Franklin County’s overall best interest, she said. And he provided “calm and steady leadership” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, said the statement.

He has also been engaged in priority projects throughout the community including leading the transition from two dispatch centers to a single dispatch center, she said.

Communication concerns

Didier told the Herald on Monday about his concerns regarding Johnson. While he didn’t want to get into specifics, he said there have been a variety of issues going on behind the scenes that led him to lose trust in Johnson.

He said they revolve around “leadership, management and communication.”

Didier also had a problem with learning after the fact about certain businesses opening in the county.

“I don’t think it’s too appropriate that I learn about a Costco coming to Franklin County from the (Herald),” he said.

The Herald reported on March 21 that Costco officials were in negotiations to build a store in west Pasco.

If the county administrator is working on 50 projects, Didier said he wants to know what those projects are.

Didier said he believes he has gone out of his way to meet with Johnson during his nearly three years on the board.

Other elected Franklin County officials commented on the issue on social media.

Sheriff Jim Raymond stayed away from commenting on working with Johnson but pointed out in a Facebook post that the commissioners’ offices are just 15 feet from Johnson’s office.

Responding to Raymond’s post, Clerk Michael Killian said, “Keith is a consummate full-time county administrator. He is a strong advocate for Franklin County and he has brought much needed experience and professionalism to the county. He has an open door policy, and I have never had any issues discussing matters related to the Clerks office.”

While public officials have called for keeping him, a couple members of the public, including a member of the Franklin County Republican Party criticized the move during Tuesday’s public comments.

Didier heads up the county’s Republican Party.

Other members of the public backed keeping Johnson.

“My expectation is that now all three commissioners will work together as a team and will not allow themselves to be thrown off track by unwarranted personnel matters,” said Felix Vargas, who leads Consejo Latino.

This story was originally published April 13, 2021 at 12:58 PM.