Former WA state treasurer leaves retirement to help run Franklin County

A familiar face will be taking over helping run Franklin County after the current administrator leaves this month.

Duane Davidson, a former Benton County and Washington state treasurer, will step into the role as the interim county administrator.

The choice comes as the current county Administrator Keith Johnson is due to leave Oct. 27 to become the Chickasha city manager in Oklahoma after seven years in Franklin County.

County commissioners unanimously approved Davidson’s appointment following a 20-minute executive session this week.

“Franklin County really appreciates him stepping up,” Johnson told the Herald. “Someone with Duane’s background and expertise is not only a rare find, and it’s a welcome solution until a permanent replacement is hired.”

The county hasn’t started the process of picking a new county administrator. Johnson said he’s hopeful the commissioners will have a search firm under contract soon.

Davidson’s salary will be about $145,000 a year, Johnson said. Commissioners agreed to pay him as much as Johnson is making, though they are checking on any financial restrictions because he is coming out of retirement temporarily.

Davidson, a Republican, was the first Tri-Citian in recent memory to be elected to statewide executive office and the first Eastern Washington resident since a Grant County Democrat, Robert O’Brien, left the same state office in 1989.

Before that, Davidson spent 13 years as Benton County’s elected treasurer. He served a single 4-year term as the state treasurer before being defeated in 2020 by Democrat Mike Pellicciotti.

Davidson planned to run for the state Legislature this year, but changed his mind.

Johnson said it benefits the county to hire someone with Davidson’s financial experience as they begin working on next year’s budget.

Davidson told the Herald he knows nearly every elected official working at the county.

After hearing about the opening, he felt he could come out of retirement for a short period of time and help with the budget and with finding a new administrator.

And he said he may be able to “help some with some relationship issues that are going on there.”

He did not want to elaborate on specific issues, however, the Herald has reported on continuing troubles among elected officials and staff members.

Most recently, Franklin County’s human resource director resigned, the second in less than a year.

Both cited the “toxic” work environment at the courthouse in Pasco that they said included hostility and bullying from elected officials.

Davidson said he reached out to the commissioners and offered to come on for a short period of time to help.

“I’m not looking for a job,” he said. “The main thing is to help them out with the departure of a full-time administration.”

This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 11:20 AM.