The Board of County Commissioners has removed Commissioner Emily Clouse from all boards and commission memberships, pending an investigation.
The board decided after an executive session on Tuesday, August 13. Executive sessions are held privately as per state law.
Before the executive session, Commissioner Wayne Fournier said the meeting's purpose was to receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public official or employee.
It has not been made clear what the complaints or charges were. The JOLT has sought more information from the commissioners, but no one has commented on the issue on the record.
Fournier mentioned before the executive session that the meeting could be held publicly if Clouse requested it, but Clouse said she made no such request.
There had been a miscommunication that Jane Futterman, representing the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, requested the meeting be public, but Futterman clarified to the board that Clouse made no such request.
Commissioner Tye Menser was not at the meeting. County Manager Leonard Hernandez explained Menser was not present due to “input from our prosecuting attorney’s office and the recommendations about the process that was outlined in the last set of executive sessions.”
The executive session lasted around 35 minutes.
Afterward, Commissioner Carolina Mejia motioned to appoint the alternates as the primary for the boards and commissions currently held by Clouse until an investigation is complete. The other two commissioners in attendance voted in favor of the motion.
Clouse was among the two commissioners elected to office in 2023 after the number of country districts expanded from three to five. According to the county website, Clouse represents the county on the following boards and committees:
A recording of the public portion of the meeting is available on the county’s YouTube channel.
CORRECTION: August 15, 2024. A previous version of this story stated that Jane Futterman represented Commissioner Clouse. We regret our error.
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OlyBlues
More secrecy coming from the county as is normal operating procedure. Clouse is a public official and this is a drastic measure taken. It appears Menser is somehow involved as well. Good thing Thurston County voters wanted five commissioners. It's working out really well it seems! Clouse was totally unqualified to begin with so it is no surprise to hear there are issues now. Time for the JOLT and the media to file public disclosure requests and get down to the bottom of what this investigation is all about. The county functions in secrecy and backdoor deals, so without media involvement, the public will never know what is truly happening.
Wednesday, August 14 Report this
Claire
Clouse, obviously not qualified. Elected by the liberal left-wing constituents. Saw this coming. And, Fournier, another left-wing liberal, doesn't belong on the BoCC.
Thursday, August 15 Report this
Claire
And, Menser, another left-wing liberal person complicit in the demise of transparency in the workings of the BoCC. FIRE.THEM ALL!
Thursday, August 15 Report this
jimlazar
This behavior by the Commissioners does not instill confidence.
The Open Public Meetings Act does allow executive sessions "(f) To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such officer or employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be conducted upon such complaint or charge;" RCW 42.30.110(f)
It appears that is the exemption used for this meeting.
But the complaints or charges themselves should be a matter of public record, and the County has not provided these complaints or charges to The JOLT News. That seems wrong. We are entitled to know who has complained and about what. I complain frequently to my elected bodies; my complaints are not confidential.
The last time I remember an elected official being removed from committee assignments locally was about 20 years ago, when there was a bit of a nasty spat between two City Councilmembers. Eventually that suspension was lifted, and the Council proceeded with its business in normal order. In that case, we knew exactly what was complained about and by whom.
I am particularly concerned about the removal of Commissioner Clouse from the Climate and Behavioral Resources groups. She has specialized expertise in these areas, and is the best possible member of the Council on those issues. We elected her overwhemingly, by a 20-point margin over her opponent. We did that because we judged her a valuable representative. We are being denied the value that we voted for.
Yes, it's possible that my opinion could change, depending on the circumstances, but transparency is the best tool to address that, not secrecy.
Thursday, August 15 Report this
WA_Mojo
She can use her free time from betting bounced to get more tattoos, piercings, and get her joker hair touched up.
Thursday, August 15 Report this
Madeline_Bishop
I'm guessing that the charges were so outragous that stating them would amount to slander. Were they made by the 2 frequent complainers?? - Madeline Bishop
Thursday, August 15 Report this
JnNwmn
Before we jump to too many conclusions, let's hear some facts. And as little donny rumsfield
said, "You have to go with army you've got, not the army you wished you had!"
Thursday, August 15 Report this
Southsoundguy
Disband the board, let a king rise from the ashes.
Thursday, August 15 Report this
HappyOlympian
Thurston County has become a very corrupt place, and the individual cities also have no shame. Unhappy with the choices made, methodology and secrecy of how our officials handle most affairs. One would think in a place with so many enlightened lefties in charge it would not be that way. Ethics seem to be very inconsistently applied here.
Thursday, August 15 Report this