A key staff member of Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon’s 2003 election campaign has been hired by the county as a temporary worker at a pay rate of more than $75,000 a year.
James Lee, a volunteer coordinator and strategist for Reardon’s winning campaign, has been working in the Office of Housing and Community Development since March. His job has included researching topics such as the NASCAR racetrack proposal and the potential closure of Naval Station Everett.
Because Lee – whose given name is Byum Chang Lee – was hired as a temporary worker, he didn’t have to compete with others for the job, county officials say.
The position is a six-month job. However, Lee has held the job since March.
Though Lee landed his job in a year marked by turmoil over a projected $13.4 million budget deficit in 2005, with the county now planning to cut 80 jobs, Reardon said he didn’t think Lee’s hiring would be controversial.
Reardon recalled his promise to bring a new generation of leaders when he was elected.
“That means bringing with me people that I have confidence in, people who share my vision, and people who want to work for me and get the job done,” Reardon said. “James Lee fits that profile.”
Reardon stressed that he did not hire Lee, nor is he Lee’s manager.
Lee sent Reardon his resume after the campaign, and it was passed along to managers in the planning department. Reardon said he “strongly recommended” Lee.
“I think he’s a tremendous asset for this county,” Reardon said.
With a Harvard degree, Lee’s qualifications looked strong, said his supervisor, Bob Derrick, deputy director of the planning department.
Lee did not return seven phone calls since Friday or respond to notes left at his office on three days. Though he called in sick Wednesday, no one answered the door at his home in the morning or afternoon.
Lee’s higher-ups in the planning department say they weren’t pressured by Reardon or others to hire Lee, 28.
“Was I told to hire anybody? No,” said Craig Ladiser, director of the planning department. “I just can’t imagine that situation occurring.”
Derrick said he didn’t interview others for the temporary job. He also said he and Lee didn’t talk about Reardon and the campaign during Lee’s interview. Derrick said he was not aware that Lee had worked on Reardon’s campaign.
Derrick also said he didn’t call Lee’s references before offering him the job. But that wasn’t necessary, Derrick added, citing 30 years’ of experience evaluating job candidates.
“He looked like on paper he had the skills,” Derrick said.
Lee was hired as a senior economic development officer for $75,524 a year.
Some County Council members are quietly raising questions about Lee’s position, which came to light after Reardon’s proposed 2005 budget named Lee for a $77,000-a-year job working on economic development matters.
Derrick said that position shouldn’t have been listed with Lee’s name.
“We put his name in by mistake,” Derrick said. “He’s a temp employee.”
Last year, Lee worked as a volunteer for Reardon’s campaign. Reardon paid Lee $25,000 for his work, according to campaign disclosure records filed with the state. The pay included a bonus Lee received when Reardon won the race.
Lee’s family also was involved in one of the biggest controversies of the 2003 county executive campaign. His mother, Young Ja Lee, a postal carrier, formed a political action committee and donated $16,600 of her own money to get Reardon elected.
The Public Disclosure Commission later investigated the group but dismissed a complaint after finding no election laws had been broken.
The future of Lee’s county job is in doubt. If the council approves adding staff for economic development, any unfilled jobs will have to be filled through a competitive process.
“If (Lee) stays on, he’s going to have to compete for a job, and compete for this one if he wants it,” Derrick said. “There’s no question about it.”
County Council members indicated they will talk about whether that position is really needed.
County Councilman Gary Nelson said the council normally does a big-picture review of the county’s work force.
“Our job is not to get down to position by position,” Nelson said. But he added that Lee’s case may demand more discussion.
“I can’t imagine temporary employees making this much,” Nelson said.
Council Chairman John Koster said the county already contributes to the Snohomish County Economic Development Council, a group of public and private agencies that promotes job growth. It received $80,000 in county funding last year.
“I’m not so sure that just adding paid positions (in county government) gets that done,” Koster said.
Reardon said the county has a vital need to create an economic development team that could work to spur job growth.
“The private sector is the engine that drives the economy,” Reardon said. “We have to figure out how to remove barriers to help the private sector be more competitive.”
Reporter Brian Kelly: 425-339-3422 or kelly@heraldnet.com.
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