Thurston County commissioners adopt letter disputing clerk's public‑service claims and seek collaborative review

Thurston County commissioners voted March 4 to adopt and transmit a revised board letter responding to recent communications from the county clerk’s office about reductions in public services following budget adjustments.

Chair Ty Mener presented the draft letter and said he had prepared it to give constituents a single, factual message after receiving numerous inquiries. Commissioners debated the accuracy of some clerk statements — for example, whether phone service and certain domestic violence support access had been fully cut — and asked staff to compile budget and vacancy data from the clerk’s office for review.

"We should get the same data and get everybody in the same room. I'm willing to come to that meeting in good faith," Ty Mener said, calling for dialog with the clerk and the superior court judges. Other commissioners urged a collaborative, problem‑solving approach while also noting a need to correct public misstatements about the board’s role in the budget decisions.

The board approved the revised draft as the official board position and directed the clerk to prepare an electronic‑signature version on letterhead for distribution. Commissioners also asked the county manager to work with staff to compile vacancy and budget information for the clerk’s office and to set up a check‑in meeting with the clerk and superior court judges to seek operational solutions.

Next steps: the clerk will prepare the signed letter; county staff will gather relevant budget and vacancy data and propose dates for a check‑in meeting to address short‑term operational fixes and longer‑term solutions.