Spokane housing, human services boss retiring

Jerrie Allard, head of Spokane’s Community, Housing and Human Services Department, is leaving the city next month after eight years.

Brian Coddington, the mayor’s spokesman, said Thursday that Allard had indicated to the mayor she wanted to retire last week. Her last day at the city will be Dec. 12. Allard, 56, was paid about $95,000 per year.

“A lot’s been accomplished at CHHS under Jerrie’s leadership and we’re sad to see her go,” Coddington said, noting that decisions regarding her replacement have not been completed.

“We’re sorting through that,” he said.

Councilwoman Amber Waldref, who resigned from the CHHS board in frustration last month citing a lack of leadership and communication within the department, said she hoped the city would perform a robust national search for Allard’s replacement.

Late last month, the city hired former City Councilman Rob Crow as the senior CHHS manager, a position exempt from Civil Service, earning $69,760 a year.

He said he “reports to Jerrie” and had “no clue” about whether he would act as interim director in Allard’s stead.

“It’s been in flux even since I got here,” he said about his duties at CHHS. “I’m Jerrie’s deputy director, if there were such a thing. That’s the easiest way I describe it to folks.”

Crow served on Mayor David Condon’s quality of life and social services transition team before Condon took office. The team made the recommendation to Condon to combine the city’s Human Services and Community Development departments, creating CHHS.

Crow, who was on the City Council from 2005 to 2007, worked as the director of Workforce Transitions at Spokane Falls Community College until taking the city position.