The Washington State Supreme Court has agreed that Benton County has grounds to move forward with recalling three commissioners of the Port of Benton. The ruling clears the way for a recall effort that had been building against the elected officials over allegations of misconduct and retaliation within the public agency.
At the center of the case is the accusation that the three commissioners retaliated against two of the port's top executives. According to the allegations, the retaliation targeted the director and the finance director after those executives came forward with complaints of misconduct, raising concerns about how the board treated staff who spoke up.
One instance of alleged misconduct is said to date back to January. That month, the board voted unanimously to suspend the port's former executive director, Dionne Howard. The timing of that suspension has become a key point in the broader dispute over how the commissioners handled internal complaints.
A court brief filed in March noted that Howard's suspension came just weeks after an external investigation had been carried out. The sequence of events, with the suspension following so closely behind the inquiry, has fueled the argument that the move amounted to retaliation rather than a routine personnel decision.
According to the court brief, that external investigation found evidence that one of the commissioners had violated the port's rules and the state constitution, and possibly broke state laws as well. The alleged violations centered on the improper use of public resources, described as gifts of public resources.
With the state's highest court confirming that there are grounds for a recall, the effort to remove the three commissioners can now advance. The case has turned into a significant test of accountability for the elected leadership of the Port of Benton, with the outcome set to be decided as the recall process moves ahead.