PORT TOWNSEND— Lorna Delaney, who has worked as clerk for the Jefferson County commissioners for 28 years, was given a rousing send-off by county personnel.
“I cannot imagine doing my eight years without you,” said Larry Dennison, who served as county commissioner between 1984 and 1992. “You were gracious beyond measure and it was a pleasure to work with you.”
“When I came here, I thought there was someone here named ‘Ask Lorna’ because she had all the answers” said former District Court Judge Mark Huth. “Now that you are going, the county is losing its institutional memory.”
About 50 people, both current and former staff members, filled the commissioners’ chamber for the ceremony.
Delaney, 62, served with 16 commissioners and many of them were in attendance, including Dennison, Bob Hinton, Glen Huntingford and Richard Wojt.
“Whenever someone retires, they are told they will really be missed,” said former building services director Gary Rowe. “But in your case, it is really true.”
Delaney was honored in accordance with a Jefferson County tradition, where retiring employees of note receive an engraved hockey puck.
She received the additional honor of a hockey stick that was engraved with a message from the three sitting commissioners and County Administrator Philip Morley, for “28 years of skating gracefully through the bureaucracy with integrity, warmth, skill and kindness.”
Commissioner David Sullivan told Delaney that “we wish you well and it has been an honor to work with you,” while John Austin said that “I’m the ‘baby commissioner,’ I’ve been here the least so I’ve needed you the most.”
Commissioner Phil Johnson indicated he did not want to accept Delaney’s resignation.
“Any reasonable local government would require commissioner approval for a retirement, and you’d be working here forever,” he said.
On Monday, the county extended an offer to Elizabeth Hill to serve as Delaney’s replacement, which Hill has verbally accepted.
Currently living in New Mexico, Hill has experience in state and city government as well as experience in training, employment law, contract negotiations, fiscal management, workers compensation and strategic planning, according to her biography.
Hill is scheduled to begin in the new position on Oct. 4.
Her salary will be $60,219 per year, saving the county $18,353 from the $78,572 per year that Delaney was earning when she retired.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
