Rebecca Heffernan will temporarily take the helm of the county treasurer’s office beginning on Nov. 1.
The Grays Harbor County commissioners appointed Heffernan, who currently serves as the chief deputy treasurer, during the commission meeting on Oct. 24. Elected Treasurer Ron Strabbing has announced his Oct. 31 retirement.
Heffernan’s appointment is temporary, not just because there’s already a procedure in place to fill vacancies of elected officials who leave office before their term expires, but also because Heffernan herself has plans. Heffernan will retire on Dec. 31.
Because Strabbing’s retirement is occurring after the regular candidate filing period, a successor must be appointed by the county commissioners. The appointed successor must be from the same political party. Strabbing is a Democrat. The Grays Harbor County Democrats will submit three candidates to the county commissioners, and the commissioners will choose a new treasurer from that list of three.
Despite Strabbing having announced his pending retirement months ago, the Democrats can’t begin the process of nominating replacements until after Strabbing’s official retirement.
Grays Harbor County Commissioner Frank Gordon, a Democrat who is an active participant in his party, said the nomination process at the party level would aim to find a replacement soon after Strabbing’s retirement.
“It’s something we hope will go quickly,” Gordon said, speaking as a member of the Grays Harbor County Democrats.
Other business
The Grays Harbor County commissioners also approved a new contract for elevator service with Kone, Inc.
Kone, Inc. is the state contractor, so the county was not required to bid out the contract said Mark Cox, the county’s deputy director of public works.
Cox, who worked to find a new contract, said the county will yield significant savings through the new contract. The county will save some $200 each month over the five-year contract.
Load testing is required every five years (specifically for the courthouse elevator) and the former contractor charged some $12,000 for the testing. Cox said Kone, Inc. includes the load test in the contract.
Cost savings are important, but Cox noted the most important aspect to elevator maintenance.
“We just want safe elevators,” he said after the commissioners’ meeting on Oct. 24.
The public works department, through Cox, also brought forward several resolutions and agreements regarding Straddleline ORV Park, which unanimously were approved.
The County is searching for a new promoter for its ORV Park after Promoto LLC said it wouldn’t renew its contract.
On Monday, the commissioners approved a pair of resolutions allowing Cox to submit grant applications — one to cover education and enforcement costs, and the other to cover park maintenance costs.
The commissioners also approved a liability waiver agreement with Cascade Karting Association for property stored at the park during the off season.
