Kennewick mayor’s woes mount with ethics complaint

A self-appointed government watchdog is pursuing theft and code of ethics charges against Kennewick Mayor Steve Young over his role in a Hanford discrimination lawsuit.

Roger Lenk of Pasco filed a complaint with the city of Kennewick and the Benton County prosecutor on Monday that alleges the Kennewick mayor violated Washington’s code of ethics for municipal officers.

He also claims Young committed theft for conducting city business while working at the Hanford site as a senior vice president for Department of Energy contractor Mission Support Alliance.

Lenk filed a complaint with Kennewick City Attorney Lisa Beaton and county Prosecutor Andy Miller. He asked Miller to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate the potentially criminal charges, citing Miller’s previous close personal and professional relationship with the mayor.

Young said he had not seen the complaint Monday and would not comment until he was able to read it.

Kennewick spokeswoman Evelyn Lusignan said Beaton was reviewing the information for a potential response, if applicable. The prosecutor’s office referred questions to Miller, who was not available Monday.

Lenk’s case rests on testimony Young gave in September in a lawsuit in which he and Mission Support Alliance were named defendants.

Former MSA employee Julie Atwood alleged retaliation and discrimination after she was forced to resign in 2013. A Benton County Superior Court jury awarded Atwood $8.1 million in an October verdict. The case was tried by a Yakima Superior Court judge to avoid the appearance of a conflict.

The verdict is expected to be appealed.

Lenk asserts Young’s testimony provides evidence he violated the code of conduct rules against using an elected position to secure special privileges.

In the Atwood case, Young testified that as a municipal officer, he could “bump” regular citizens and testify in the nation’s capital about matters of interest to MSA and the Department of Energy. Regular government employees cannot testify about the financial challenges of their agencies.

“When I’m wearing the city hat, I see a lot of opportunities for those that live in the city of Kennewick who work at Hanford. Those who live in the city of Kennewick who have stores and businesses. The biggest return on me being mayor is the Department of Energy. I’m able to do what the Department of Energy can’t do because I’m an elected official,” he said, according to a transcript submitted with Monday’s complaint.

The theft allegation stems from Young’s estimate he spent 16 to 20 hours of his regular work week at Mission Support Alliance on city business.

Based on a 40-hour work week and an estimated annual salary of $240,000, that translates to about $96,500 to $120,000 a year in salary paid for non-Mission Support Alliance work, Lenk argued.

Young was appointed to the council in 2008 to succeed Jim Beaver when the latter was elected to the Benton County Commission.

The city council selected him to serve as mayor in 2009 and he has held the post ever since, facing re-election every two years to hold the mostly ceremonial position.