Tom Gaines named interim Grant County administrator
EPHRATA – Grant County commissioners on Monday announced the appointment of Tom Gaines to a new position as interim county administrator.
Gaines, a 12-year county employee who has been serving as the central services director, said he is “excited and humbled to be appointed to this role.”
In their announcement, commissioners Kevin Burgess, Cindy Carter, and Rob Jones said the new administrative position is expected to bring “continuity, consistent management, and oversight into the daily operations of Grant County.”
Most county governments in Washington state operate with a three-member board of commissioners who have responsibility for establishing budgets and performing other quasi-judicial functions. Typically, rural counties with smaller populations have not utilized an administrator. And commissioners are among the other elected officials – treasurer, sheriff, prosecutor, clerk, auditor, assessor and judges – who have independent oversight of their own respective county offices.
Gaines said his administrator role will oversee county department heads – such as public works, planning/development services, human resources and others – serving under administration of the county commissioners.
“This is an immediate change where I will be working much closer with the department heads and reporting up to the (board of commissioners),” said Gaines. “I will be the liaison between other elected offices and the BOCC and will work closely with those elected officials on various initiatives, policies, and budgets.”
The commissioners, in their announcement, said they will be able to focus on policy setting and “advancing strategic priorities.”
Gaines’ appointment – which includes an estimated 2.5% salary increase – is on an interim basis and will be reviewed in early January, said commission chair Rob Jones.
He acknowledged the meaningful work that Gaines has provided to the county during his tenure. But Jones did acknowledge some personal concern about being less informed about county operations without direct weekly meetings with department heads and thus less knowledgeable if questioned by constituents about what’s going on.
Jones thought the administrator post may streamline some in-house functions for staff without having to go directly through the county commissioners. But he anticipates there will be “some unknowns” that materialize as the management transition unfolds.
Gaines did not think his new role will be “a giant leap” from his position as central services director, saying he was already performing a “significant portion of the (administrator) duties.”
“I think it’s an excellent opportunity to focus on issues that the BOCC may not have time to dedicate itself to,” Gaines continued. “The county continues to grow and have challenges, both internally and externally.”
Said the commissioners: “Appointing Tom Gaines as interim county administrator allows the county to begin implementing this new role in a structured and meaningful way.”
