FRANKLIN COUNTY, Wash. – The Franklin County Commissioner called for the firing of the County Administrator during a Board of Commissioners meeting on Wed., June 26.
County Administrator Mike Gonzalez had previously announced that he was stepping down during a June 18 special County Commissioners meeting, in which it was stated that he would be taking paid time off until an agreeable severance decision was made.
“I move to terminate Mike Gonzalez for cause as administrator of Franklin County,” said Commissioner Clint Didier midway through Wednesday’s meeting.
That motion failed and was immediately followed by one to place Gonzalez on paid administrative leave, which passed to allow the county to figure out a severance agreement.
Gonzalez’s original decision to step down comes during an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged misconduct by some Franklin County officials, which was started in part by a report from Gonzalez. Didier and Commissioner Rocky Mullen are both under investigation.
Charges for the officials have not yet been put in place and are being determined by the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office.
Gonzalez is now one of three finalists to become the new Administrator for the City of Yakima.
