PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners have interviewed four candidates who are vying to be the next hearing examiner.
No decision was made after a series of public interviews Monday, Board Chairman Mike Chapman said after Tuesday’s business meeting.
Commissioners are expected to discuss the qualifications of the candidates and could make a hiring decision in their work session next week.
“We would be directing staff to negotiate a contract,” Chapman said after the interviews.
Hearing examiners conduct hearings and adjudicate land-use matters as quasi-judicial officers.
They issue written decisions on appeals of Department of Community Development decisions and a variety of land-use permits in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.
Local attorneys Lauren Erickson and William Payne, who are among the candidates, have been alternating hearings under short-term contracts that expire at the end of this month.
Commissioners have decided to hire one primary hearing examiner who will work under a three-year contract with a flat fee for each hearing.
Community Development Director Mary Ellen Winborn had recommended one hearing examiner for consistency.
$30K budgeted
Clallam County budgeted $30,000 this year for the position.
The selection of a primary hearing examiner has been discussed in multiple work sessions. Members of an ad-hoc committee recently screened the applications.
“I think the sooner we can do it the better,” Commissioner Mark Ozias said of the selection. “It would be nice to get it off our plate.”
Ozias said he would welcome Winborn’s input during the board deliberations, which will take place during the work session at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
The four candidates are Erickson, Payne, Michael McCarthy of Tacoma-based McCarthy & Causseaux and Andrew Reeves of Seattle-based Sound Law Center.
Ted Hunter of Sound Law Center applied to be Reeves’ advisor but did not participate in the interviews.
Intervention services
In other board action from Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners approved a request for proposals for mental health and substance abuse intervention services in public schools for the 2016-2017 school year.
The proposals are due June 30.
The services will be funded by a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax that helps those with drug addictions, brain disorders or both.
Early in the meeting, commissioners presented a certificate of appreciation to outgoing civil deputy prosecuting attorney Kristina Nelson-Gross, who is leaving the county to become Sequim’s city attorney.
Chapman said Nelson-Gross did about six years worth of work in two years with the county, reducing a backlog of civil complaints and other issues.
“Kristina really helped clean up a lot of lingering issues and pointed us generally in a better direction,” Chapman said.
“She also, folks may not remember, stepped in more of a tumultuous time in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office when we didn’t even have anybody overseeing the civil division and stabilized that division for a period of time.”
Nelson-Gross will replace longtime Sequim City Attorney Craig Ritchie, who retires June 3.
“Good decision by Sequim to hire you,” Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols told his colleague.
“You’ll be missed here. You’ll always be welcome and we’ll look forward to collaborating with you inter-governmentally moving forward.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
