Published: Wednesday, August 11, 2010
County has new face in key planning director job
The new director will lead a department hit hard by the economy and scandal.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon has hired a new director to lead his beleaguered planning department, naming an official from a similar, but much smaller-scale, job in Eastern Washington.
Talk to people about Clay White and you'll hear that the 36-year-old is personable and savvy about the often convoluted, technical world of planning. During his six years in Colville as Stevens County's land services director, White led the community effort to draft a comprehensive plan and development regulations. Through it all, he said he made public input a priority.
"Not everyone is going to be happy every time," White said Tuesday. "Planning is a difficult business to be in. It's hard to anticipate when people are going to disappointed about a development."
As Snohomish County's next planning director, White will oversee an array of important responsibilities. They include permitting and code enforcement, the fire marshal's office and long-term planning. He is scheduled to start Sept. 1 with a nearly $132,000 salary.
Beyond reaching compromise on contentious development issues, White's new job will involve the sensitive task of healing a department sapped by layoffs and wounded by a sexually charged scandal involving his predecessor.
"Going back to this whole last year, their morale has taken a pretty good beating," Deputy Executive Gary Haakenson said. "His energy and his enthusiasm will help to prop them up a little bit."
Because many of the planning department's functions are funded through permitting fees, and not the county's general operating budget, it has been hit particularly hard by the construction downturn. A staff that numbered well over 200 during the building boom of a few years ago is down to about 127 budgeted jobs today.
Perhaps the biggest blow, though, came a year ago this month when Reardon fired former planning director Craig Ladiser. Ladiser had been on leave since a golf tournament that the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties hosted in Redmond in June of that year.
A woman lobbyist with the Master Builders accused Ladiser of exposing himself and rubbing his bare genitals against her. Ladiser had been drinking heavily.
The county fired him after conducting an internal investigation into the woman's allegations. In March, authorities in King County charged Ladiser with indecent exposure and fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation. His trial is scheduled to begin Monday in Seattle.
The episode raised questions of propriety over the appearance of a friendly relationship between the county planning department and the building industry. It also increased scrutiny on complaints about sexual harassment involving staff Ladiser managed.
Since Ladiser's ouster, veterans from within the planning department have taken the reins on an interim basis.
Stepping into that role now is White, who graduated from Central Washington University in 1996 with degrees in anthropology and geography. That's the same university Reardon attended. Before landing his Stevens County job in 2004, White worked as a planner in Kittitas County and in the city of Black Diamond. He currently serves as president of the Washington State Association of Regional and County Planning Directors.
White grew up in Burien, where his father still lives, and said he is excited to get back to the western part of the state. Outside work, he said, he likes to spend time with his wife and 3-year-old daughter. He loves sports and is a devoted Huskies fan.
Stevens County Commissioner Merrill Ott said he would be sad to see White leave, but didn't want to stand in the way of his career.
"We have seen him really grow in his job and influence his fellow planners around the state," Ott said. "We're sending him on with a lot of good hopes for Snohomish County. It's hard to let somebody like that go."
The move from the Eastern Washington county with its seat in Colville will give him a dramatic change in scenery. Stevens County has a population of slightly above 40,000. About 17 times that many people live in Snohomish County, which has roughly 700,000 inhabitants.
White said the staff he manages in Stevens County has ranged from 13 to nine employees.
The scale of the new job would definitely require some adjustment, said County Councilman Dave Somers, chairman of the council's planning and community development committee. Somers said he was reassured, though, by good feedback from planners who had worked with White.
"I think he's young, bright and capable, and I look forward to working with him," Somers said.
County Councilman John Koster said the newcomer's biggest challenge is likely to be keeping enough talented planning employees around to handle an increase in building activity, if and when an economic recovery finally comes. He thinks White's skills are far more important than the size of the county where he's been working.
"I'm glad they made a decision to get a director in there," Koster said. "I think it'll be good and give some direction and stability to the department."
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Talk to people about Clay White and you'll hear that the 36-year-old is personable and savvy about the often convoluted, technical world of planning. During his six years in Colville as Stevens County's land services director, White led the community effort to draft a comprehensive plan and development regulations. Through it all, he said he made public input a priority.
"Not everyone is going to be happy every time," White said Tuesday. "Planning is a difficult business to be in. It's hard to anticipate when people are going to disappointed about a development."
As Snohomish County's next planning director, White will oversee an array of important responsibilities. They include permitting and code enforcement, the fire marshal's office and long-term planning. He is scheduled to start Sept. 1 with a nearly $132,000 salary.
Beyond reaching compromise on contentious development issues, White's new job will involve the sensitive task of healing a department sapped by layoffs and wounded by a sexually charged scandal involving his predecessor.
"Going back to this whole last year, their morale has taken a pretty good beating," Deputy Executive Gary Haakenson said. "His energy and his enthusiasm will help to prop them up a little bit."
Because many of the planning department's functions are funded through permitting fees, and not the county's general operating budget, it has been hit particularly hard by the construction downturn. A staff that numbered well over 200 during the building boom of a few years ago is down to about 127 budgeted jobs today.
Perhaps the biggest blow, though, came a year ago this month when Reardon fired former planning director Craig Ladiser. Ladiser had been on leave since a golf tournament that the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties hosted in Redmond in June of that year.
A woman lobbyist with the Master Builders accused Ladiser of exposing himself and rubbing his bare genitals against her. Ladiser had been drinking heavily.
The county fired him after conducting an internal investigation into the woman's allegations. In March, authorities in King County charged Ladiser with indecent exposure and fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation. His trial is scheduled to begin Monday in Seattle.
The episode raised questions of propriety over the appearance of a friendly relationship between the county planning department and the building industry. It also increased scrutiny on complaints about sexual harassment involving staff Ladiser managed.
Since Ladiser's ouster, veterans from within the planning department have taken the reins on an interim basis.
Stepping into that role now is White, who graduated from Central Washington University in 1996 with degrees in anthropology and geography. That's the same university Reardon attended. Before landing his Stevens County job in 2004, White worked as a planner in Kittitas County and in the city of Black Diamond. He currently serves as president of the Washington State Association of Regional and County Planning Directors.
White grew up in Burien, where his father still lives, and said he is excited to get back to the western part of the state. Outside work, he said, he likes to spend time with his wife and 3-year-old daughter. He loves sports and is a devoted Huskies fan.
Stevens County Commissioner Merrill Ott said he would be sad to see White leave, but didn't want to stand in the way of his career.
"We have seen him really grow in his job and influence his fellow planners around the state," Ott said. "We're sending him on with a lot of good hopes for Snohomish County. It's hard to let somebody like that go."
The move from the Eastern Washington county with its seat in Colville will give him a dramatic change in scenery. Stevens County has a population of slightly above 40,000. About 17 times that many people live in Snohomish County, which has roughly 700,000 inhabitants.
White said the staff he manages in Stevens County has ranged from 13 to nine employees.
The scale of the new job would definitely require some adjustment, said County Councilman Dave Somers, chairman of the council's planning and community development committee. Somers said he was reassured, though, by good feedback from planners who had worked with White.
"I think he's young, bright and capable, and I look forward to working with him," Somers said.
County Councilman John Koster said the newcomer's biggest challenge is likely to be keeping enough talented planning employees around to handle an increase in building activity, if and when an economic recovery finally comes. He thinks White's skills are far more important than the size of the county where he's been working.
"I'm glad they made a decision to get a director in there," Koster said. "I think it'll be good and give some direction and stability to the department."
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
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