Mielke not qualified for CEO

Having held the position of Spokane County chief executive officer for five years, and assistant CEO for three years, I feel qualified to comment on efforts to recruit Marshall Farnell’s replacement. And yes, I have detractors for personal events that happened while I was in that position, but set that aside for the factual issues.

When I left, Farnell was given a raise to $125,000 because he administered the budget, and I did not. Fast forward several years. The county hired a budget director earning over $100,000 to assume some of Farnell’s responsibilities.

Fast forward again. The county hired a chief operating officer to oversee department heads; a CEO responsibility. Was the CEO’s salary lowered? No, instead he received a raise to $162,000, which Commissioner Todd Mielke voted for.

Mielke is not qualified to be CEO. He has never supervised teams or managed department heads. That position must be nonpartisan, or department heads will never trust him. A commission decision appointing a professional lobbyist and career politician would be unfair to the talented department heads of the county. They deserve better. They will not respect a leader who thought he should start at the top because of political favors.

Francine Boxer

Newman Lake