PORT ANGELES — Clallam County has hired a special attorney to help resolve an ongoing conflict among elected officials.
Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint Olympia lawyer Dale Kamerrer as a neutral attorney who will review accusations from Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis that the board has fostered a hostile work environment.
No claim for damages or litigation has been filed.
The amount Kamerrer will be paid will be negotiated by Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols.
“The manner, mode, form and content of the advice that he provides to the organization has yet to be determined,” Nichols told commissioners.
“That’s something that he’ll develop after he reviews the record.”
Commissioner Mike Chapman called for a full investigation into Barkhuis’ “very serious allegations.”
“I welcome it,” Chapman said.
“I want to know what we’re doing wrong. I’ll apologize if I’m doing something [wrong], but we’ve got to be investigated.”
Accusations against other elected officials have triggered past investigations, Chapman said.
“We need someone to let us know what, if anything, we’re doing wrong to create such a hostile work environment,” he added.
“That’s what I’m being told by one elected official, that this is a hostile work environment with harassment, threats and retaliation to the point where she can’t even meet with one commissioner and the auditor in a statutorily authorized meeting.”
Barkhuis has canceled a March 10 county finance committee meeting that was key to the board’s consideration of a Carlsborg sewer construction contract and an Opportunity Fund grant to help reopen the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center.
Chapman has said he would not vote to approve the sewer contract or SARC grant until the finance committee recommends such action by majority vote.
Commissioners Bill Peach and Mark Ozias also have requested a financial analysis of the projects but have not spoken in public meetings about whether they would vote on the contracts without it.
Barkhuis, who chairs the finance committee, announced that the meeting was off in a
Feb. 17 email to the board.
“Until such time as the commissioners have adequately addressed and resolved their own staff and fund management issues, I will refrain from putting myself in situations (including chairing the finance committee meetings) that are likely to provoke further acts of intimidation and retaliation against me,” Barkhuis wrote.
Barkhuis provided another statement in a Tuesday email to the Peninsula Daily News and Port O Call newspapers.
“I have canceled the finance committee meeting because it is incongruent to me that on the one hand, the county expresses the desire for my input, while on the other hand, the county threatens to sue me whenever it disagrees with me,” Barkhuis wrote.
Kamerrer’s appointment as a special deputy prosecutor would resolve potential conflicts of interest, Nichols said.
“He will be providing advice to Clallam County as an organization to make sure that we’re continuing the provision of service to the public,” Nichols said.
“My mission will be to make sure that he does that in the least expensive way.”
Nichols added: “Neither the board, nor the treasurer, is going to be directing this attorney.”
Last summer, Barkhuis made repeated statements alleging workplace hostility during a dispute with the board over the release of $1.3 million in Opportunity Fund grants.
The accusations were reported to the Washington Counties Risk Pool.
“Mr. Kamerrer was brought on board to perform what’s called a pre-defense counsel to look more closely at what was happening in county government to ensure that there was no impropriety or corrective action that was needed,” Nichols explained.
“This is designed — the special deputy appointment — to facilitate his continued work in that regard.”
Meanwhile, Nichols advised the board to discharge its legislative duties “in the same way that I would recommend all electeds to focus on their duties.”
“Frankly, this has been a distraction in the past, and it’s taking energy away from the county in the provision of service to the community,” he said.
“I think what would behoove all of us, and benefit the citizenry, is that we stayed focused on the prize, which is providing the service that everybody is expecting us to provide.”
Later in the meeting, Ozias concurred with Chapman’s call for an investigation.
“My interest is in understanding whether or not we’re doing something wrong,” Ozias said.
“My interest is not in trying to defend ourselves. I think that it’s important for the organization, for all of us, to understand what’s happening and what isn’t happening.”
Peach said the board has made a concerted effort under Chapman’s leadership to work more corroboratively with other elected officials this year.
“You can count on that professionalism to continue,” Peach told the audience.
“This isn’t a distraction. We will continue to do the job you’ve hired us to do.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
