The Grays Harbor County commissioners terminated their clerk to the board, Donna McCallum, during a special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, by a 2-1 vote. Commissioner Frank Gordon voted against the termination of employment.
“I was unhappy with it,” Gordon said. “It was a personality thing. To me, Donna was one of the best county employees we’ve ever had.”
McCallum was contacted by The Daily World on Friday and said she is working on a prepared statement but wasn’t ready to comment at that time.
On Dec. 31, 2014, the commissioners drafted a severance agreement. Cormier voted against the agreement while Gordon and then-commissioner Herb Welch voted for it. During the meeting, Welch noted that McCallum wanted to end her employment under the terms of that agreement, which would have included severance pay, continued benefits and a payout of accrued vacation time, an uncommon agreement for an exempt county employee Cormier said.
“I felt the separation agreement was unprecedented and I didn’t think there was cause there,” Cormier said on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, the commission (Gordon, Cormier and Commissioner-elect Vickie Raines) unanimously revoked the severance agreement. Raines then made a motion to terminate McCallum “with cause.”
McCallum had been excused from work for medical reasons. A doctor’s note said McCallum would return to work on Jan. 12, however, she didn’t, according to commissioners’ comments following Raines’ motion for termination.
“One, job abandonment for no attendance or communication since Monday, Jan. 12, and number two, for just unfit as item G relates to an inability to work with the commissioners,” Raines said during the Jan. 14 meeting.
McCallum’s employment contract (section 4.5, item G) states, “Any other act or failure to act within the judgment of the Board of County Commissioners is sufficient to show the administrative assistant to be an unsuitable and unfit person to hold the position of administrative assistant,” as read during the Jan. 14 meeting.
That violation directly relates to McCallum’s opinions of Raines.
“As the incoming commissioner, I’ve been made aware over the last 12-14 months of her (McCallum’s) vocalizing the inability and desire to work with me,” Raines said during that meeting. “She’s clearly stated that she will not work with me and I don’t think that provides a cohesive manner in which to move forward for the county as a commission.”
Cormier seconded Raines’ motion to terminate with cause. Gordon said he didn’t like the description of the termination.
“I would like to have terminated her without cause because, while it was childish what she did discussing Vickie and things like that, which I will agree with, I think that within the 11 years she’s been here, she’s been a good assistant,” Gordon said.
Gordon voted against Raines’ motion and it carried 2-1 for termination with cause.
The commissioners met with McCallum on Tuesday, Jan. 20, allowing her to contest her termination. The conversation is not public record.
On Wednesday, the commission officially terminated McCallum’s employment with cause.
Following the decision, the commissioners unanimously appointed Jenna Amsbury, the commission secretary, as clerk to the board.
“Jenna, the new lady moving into the position, is a jewel,” Gordon said on Wednesday.
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