Firing administrator could cost Franklin County thousands. It’s back on the agenda

Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier plans Tuesday to again raise the issue of firing the county administrator.

It would be the third attempt to oust Administrator Keith Johnson in less than two months. And it comes after a tense exchange between the three-member board last week.

If successful, it could cost the county at least $70,000 under the terms of his contract obtained by the Herald.

The topic was not listed on the publicly posted April 13 meeting agenda on the Franklin County website.

But Didier told the Herald on Monday that he planned to follow through with his promise last week to continue the discussion and he updated Tuesday’s agenda.

Didier initially made a motion Feb. 23 to fire Johnson following a closed-door executive session but the move was not supported at the time by Commissioners Brad Peck and Rocky Mullen.

Then at the end of the April 6 evening meeting, Mullen moved to fire Johnson.

That led to a testy exchange, with Peck defending Johnson and cautioning the board against a hasty move to dismiss someone with Johnson’s expertise and experience.

Mullen and Peck voted to table the motion. Didier opposed waiting.

“It was tabled last week,” Didier said on Monday. “It needs to be brought up again.”

The commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Franklin County Courthouse. People can watch the meeting on the county’s webpage or on YouTube.

Administrator’s contract

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.

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.

Opposition and support

While Didier didn’t want to get into specifics on Monday, 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.

Mullen and Peck couldn’t be reached Monday about the issue.

Mullen complained at last week’s meeting that Johnson has given him “no direction” about what is going on in the county.

However, Peck made clear his opposition to the move, saying at the time that Johnson is one of the best administrators in Washington state.

“If you let Mr. Johnson go, good luck finding someone as competent and capable and credentialed,” he said.

Reactions from the public and other elected county officials who work with Johnson and the commissioners have been mixed.

Sheriff Jim Raymond stayed away from commenting on Johnson’s abilities 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.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2021 at 6:41 PM.