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Clean Water Services board authorizes national GM search, raises settlement authority and sets interim CEO pay

Washington County Board of Commissioners · January 7, 2026

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Summary

Sitting as the Clean Water Services board, Washington County directors approved recruitment materials to begin a national search for a permanent general manager, increased the CEO/GM's settlement authority to $100,000 and approved retroactive compensation for interim CEO Rick Shanley.

Clean Water Services leads presented recruitment materials, a job description and a timeline for hiring a permanent general manager and asked the board to authorize REF TELUS (consultant) to begin the national search. Elizabeth Edwards (chief of staff, Clean Water Services) and Heather Gantz (Raftelis/REF TELUS senior manager) reviewed milestones: post the recruitment on Jan. 20, conduct a mid-February work session on selection process, deliver candidate materials by Feb. 25, hold executive session March 3 and proceed with interviews and final selection in March.

The board, sitting as Clean Water Services directors, voted unanimously to adopt the recruitment materials and authorize REF TELUS to initiate the selection process.

Separately, Clean Water Services staff requested an administrative increase to the CEO/GM settlement authority for routine property-damage claims. Brad Anderson (senior assistant legal counsel) told the board the CEO/GM authority had been $15,000 for the last 33 years and recommended raising it to $100,000 to allow staff to settle smaller claims without escalating to litigation. The board adopted the increase unanimously.

The board also approved a resolution setting compensation for Rick Shanley as interim CEO/GM, retroactive to June 7, 2025, acknowledging his service while the recruitment proceeds.

Next steps include posting the recruitment on Jan. 20, engaging REF TELUS in outreach and delivering candidate materials in February; Clean Water Services staff will update internal delegations and policies to reflect the new settlement authority.