Four finalists named to succeed Clallam Administrator Jim Jones

List includes Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Colleen McAleer

PORT ANGELES — Four finalists including Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Colleen McAleer have been selected to succeed longtime Clallam County Administrator Jim Jones.

County commissioners announced the finalists in a news release Monday.

Jones, the county’s top executive since 2006, will resign by Oct. 31, Commissioner Mark Ozias said Monday.

The news release did not include the candidates’ cities of residence.

The position will pay between $130,201 and $158,652, the latter of which is Jones’ salary.

The range includes benefits totaling 35 percent of the salary that is decided by the commissioners, county Human Resources Director Rich Sill said Monday.

The applicants are as follows:

Colleen McAleer: McAleer was elected to a second four-year term as a port commissioner in November 2017.

McAleer was laid off as senior director of programs and administration at Airborne Environmental Control Systems, a port tenant in Port Angeles, in July after being hired in March, she said Monday.

Before becoming port commissioner, McAleer was the port’s marketing and property manager and its director of business development.

She started working for the port in 2011.

Dean Brookshier: He most recently was county administrator of Clay County, Mo., which had a 2017 population of 242,874 compared to Clallam County’s 75,474.

Brookshier also was city administrator for Chilllicothe, Mo., population 9,668 and was the owner of a family cattle company.

Brookshier also was deputy chief of staff for Missouri 6th District U.S. Rep. Sam Graves and a career agent for Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance.

He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Missouri Western State University.

Keith Campbell: He has 12 years of local government experience and is the city manager for Stayton, Ore., a town of 7,644 in 2010.

Campbell has served as city clerk for Shawnee, Kan., and was deputy county clerk for Douglas County, Kan.

He has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Kansas.

David Fraser: He has 13 years in local government experience and is currently the senior associate for Municipal Solutions in Goodyear, Ariz.

Municipal Solutions LLC is a public-sector consulting company.

He has been city manager for Boulder City, Nev., population 16,000 in 2017, and Buchanan, Mich., population 4,313; town administrator for Milliken, Colo., population 7,014, and city administrator for Beloit, Kan., population 3,710.

Fraser, former executive director of the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brigham Young University.

Ozias and Commissioner Bill Peach narrowed the field of 32 applicants down to 11 in an executive session July 13, and to five at an Aug. 10 executive session, with the aid of Keller, Texas-based Strategic Government Resources.

One of those candidates removed herself from consideration, leaving four, Ozias said.

The search firm, which specializes in recruiting executive-level government employees, is under a $27,000 contract with the county to find a new administrator.

Ozias said that the decision to narrow down the candidates can be made in executive session rather than open session as part of the evaluation process, which can take place behind closed doors.

A hiring decision must be made in open session, according to the state Open Public Meetings Act.

A committee of six people chosen by Ozias, Peach and Commissioner Randy Johnson — they will make two appointments each — will interview the applicants, Ozias said.

Ozias said Monday he does not know if the applicants will be interviewed in public session by commissioners or the community panel before commissioners make an appointment.

“We haven’t talked about that specifically,” Ozias said.

“I’d say that’s a possibility.”

A community meet-and-greet with the county administrator applicants will be 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 6.

The applicants have filled out a questionnaire, undergone online interviews and had psychometric assessments, which measure mental capabilities and behavioral styles, according to the Institute of Psychometric Coaching.

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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

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