Clallam County to hire acting director of community development

Emery emerges from five applicants

Bruce Emery.

Bruce Emery.

PORT ANGELES — After deciding earlier this year to leave the temporary Community Development director in place since the newly elected replacement would be taking office soon, the county commissioners had a change of heart.

The commissioners unanimously selected Bruce Emery — who is set to take office officially during the first week of January — as the acting Community Development director at their Monday work session.

“We had to do it to hit all the process points,” Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias said. “Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols said we should hit all the process points rather than just having a general discussion. So we reviewed the five applications and the only one we met with was Bruce Emery.”

Ozias said redoing the selection process had nothing to do with the county’s recent legal settlement with former Director of Community Development Mary Ellen Winborn. The county had taken legal action against Winborn in July after she moved to Mississippi in May but continued to perform her DCD duties remotely, staying in the county one day a month.

“The general conversation was helpful, but we needed an actual director as soon as possible,” Ozias said.

County Commissioner Randy Johnson said: “I appreciate us following the process.”

A three- to five-person committee normally develops a process for producing one or more recommendations to fill the vacancy on a temporary basis.

This application review committee consisted of county administrator Rich Sill, County Health and Human Services Director Kevin LoPiccolo and Richard Meier, who was appointed Aug. 2 as the interim Department of Community Development administrative manager.

Meier is a former code enforcement officer who most recently served as a supervising analyst for the board of commissioners.

________

Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at brian.gawley@soundpublishing.com.

More in News

Clallam first in state to implement jail healthcare program

County eligible to apply for Medicare reimbursement for services

Writers to converge in Port Townsend to work on craft

Free readings open to the public next week

Firefighters extinguish blaze in fifth-floor hotel room

Firefighters from East Jefferson Fire Rescue and Navy Region… Continue reading

Mowing operation scheduled along Lake Crescent on Tuesday

Work crews from the state Department of Transportation will… Continue reading

EYE ON THE PENINSULA: County commissioners set to meet next week

Meetings across the North Olympic Peninsula

Peninsula Behavioral Health head discusses the fallout from federal bill

Anticipated cuts to Medicaid could devastate rural communities like Clallam County, leading… Continue reading

Tool library to open in Port Townsend

Drills, saws and more available to borrow

Fire restriction implemented on federal lands

Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park have restricted campfires… Continue reading

Interdependence Day celebration set for Sunday

Chimacum will host its 14th Interdependence Day celebration on Sunday.… Continue reading

Matthew P. Deines, Outgoing President/CEO, First Fed
First Fed CEO resigns

Bank begins search for replacement

PAHS class of 1975 reunion planned

The Port Angeles High School Class of 1975 is… Continue reading