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Linn County economic development director resigns, citing workplace "dysfunction"
Summary
Cassidy Waremound, Linn County economic development director, read a resignation letter at the Aug. 11 commissioners meeting, alleging persistent disrespect, shifting expectations and mishandled disciplinary and grievance processes.
Cassidy Waremound, Linn County economic development director, read a resignation letter during public comment at the Linn County Board of Commissioners meeting Aug. 11 and said the resignation is effective immediately.
Waremound said she began the job in November 2024 and described her nine months in the role as marked by “dysfunction,” including “the inconsistent or the consistent absence of professionalism, clear expectations, and basic respect from elected leadership.” She told commissioners Ali, Jim and Jason that she had raised concerns directly and was met with “denial, misrepresentation, and dismissive behavior.”
Waremound described specific interactions she said undermined her work. She said she was assigned tasks outside her role and recounted an episode she characterized as intimidation: “you can be rude and still be liked. I'm rude and I'm hated,” and said a commissioner had once “slammed your hand on my desk with the words, 'if you don't do it, then who will?'”
She also said a meeting with another county official included raised voices and disparaging comments about colleagues, and that the incidents “reflect a pattern of disrespect, dysfunction, and failure to uphold even the most basic standards of workplace conduct.”
Waremound said the final straw was a recent disciplinary action she called “baseless, unsupported by county policy,” and that she had filed a grievance she believes was mishandled “behind closed doors rather than addressed transparently as required.” She recommended changes to grievance procedures, saying that “no employee who files a grievance should be required to provide the solution to a problem they did not cause.”
She thanked former colleagues and added, “If you want to manage somebody, manage yourself. Do that well, and you'll be ready to stop managing and start leading.” She closed by saying the letter she read “serves as my formal notice ... of Linn County effective immediately.”
The commissioners did not record a formal response to the resignation during the meeting transcripted; no formal personnel action related to Waremound’s resignation appears in the record provided.
The resignation was delivered during the public-comment portion of the meeting, not during an executive or personnel session on the published agenda.
