News: CDPD deputy director fired

There was no one waiting in the wings to fill the gap, but that didn't stop the County Commission from pulling the trigger.

On May 17, the commission voted unanimously to fire Francine Shaw, deputy director of the Community Development and Planning Department. Her dismissal, effective immediately, left another hole in an agency rocked by massive personnel changes in the past two years.

It also came on the day county Solid Waste Manager Matthew Zybas succeeded former CDPD director Stephen Amsbaugh as interim director of the department.

Shaw's dismissal sparked criticism from a wide spectrum of people who are commonly at odds over issues involving land use, development permits and long-range planning. Without Shaw in the mix, Scott Lancaster expects a department he believes is already dysfunctional will slip further into chaos.

The problems that plague the department won't be solved by Shaw's dismissal or another overhaul of the CDPD management team, said Lancaster, president of the San Juan Builders Association.

"It's not the department heads, it's deeper than that," he said. "We've gone through enough of them and it still doesn't work."

Citing privacy rules on personnel matters, Commission Chairwoman Rhea Miller declined to comment on the reasons Shaw was terminated or what prompted last week's "performance evaluation." She was fired under a standard "at will" clause in county management contracts that allows the commission to dismiss managers if it so chooses. Miller noted her departure will allow the department to be reassembled under a new management team.

"I'm excited about the new opportunities the department will have for a fresh start," she said. "It's been a hot-seat for a while now."

Despite Miller's enthusiasm, the dismay of the Builders Association was echoed by Friends of the San Juans, a leading local environmental advocacy group. Friends' Director Stephanie Buffum said without Shaw's guidance the fate of several significant long-range planning matters are now in doubt, like revision of the Critical Areas Ordinance, the Comprehensive Plan Land Use map, and the annual planning docket.

"We didn't see eye-to-eye on everything, but she was always a very fair interpreter of county code and had a clear understanding of the law," Buffum said. "The capacity for planning in San Juan County has been greatly reduced by this action."

The action, which brought an abrupt end to Shaw's two-year tenure with the county, was announced after the commission met behind closed doors for nearly eight hours over a three-day span. Shaw had weathered tumultuous changes since joining the department in Spring 2003. Her tenure included a five-month stint as interim director prior to Amsbaugh's arrival.

Though county officials wouldn't comment, Shaw was candid and quick in response to her dismissal. She labeled it "retaliation" for not issuing permits on particular projects backed by certain department managers or elected officials. In particular, she said, her refusal to "sign off" on reclamation of the Lafarge gravel pit, her criticism of plans for the defunct Trash to Treasure project, and her call for elimination of the local owner-builder exemption led to her downfall.

"It's probably the best thing that I not work for a Board of County Commissioners who have no confidence in me and who have asked me to skirt the law," she said. "(Public Works Director) Jon Shannon lost a $500,000 grant and I'm being made the scapegoat."

Asked about Shaw's performance, Shannon said that he thought she "was great." But he indicated that he and Shaw had disagreed on issues regarding permits for Public Works projects. They clashed mostly over timing issues, he said.

Asked about disagreements he and Shaw had regarding permits for the Trash to Treasure project, Shannon said, "I'm not going to go there."

Friday Harbor attorney Stephanie O'Day, who is also a freeholder, said Shaw's firing reinforces the need for a home rule charter and a county manager to oversee administrative and personnel matters. She echoed others who praised Shaw for the efficiency, competency and civility she brought to the department.

Asked whether Shaw's dismissal is an argument for a hiring county manager, Buffum said, "Absolutely."

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.