During Pat Gardner's term the county has lost seven full-time employees in under four years, compared to the previous auditor who lost 11 employees in 12 years.
Pat Gardner (Pat G.) has been both verbally and physically abusive. Erin VanBronckhorst and I have both had our hands slapped and I was shoved and knocked off my feet.
In addition, Ed Erickson, Erin and I have all had things snatched aggressively from our hands as if we were small toddlers. The office, courthouse in general and any present public have been subjected to Pat G's screaming tirades resulting in employees' tears, humiliation and decision to leave the office.
As the chief deputy I was required to not only pick up the county's mail, but to pick up the Democrat Party's mail on a daily basis. At Pat G.'s direction, auditor's office employees were required to take money for Democratic Crab Feed tickets. Ed Erickson, CPA and myself, as chief deputy, were assigned "barn duty" at Pat G.'s valley residence, while she was on vacation or county business. That isn't in any county job description.
I went to County Commissioner, Bud Cuffel and Pacific County Prosecutor David Burke in November 2005 for assistance, consequently the hostility in the office only increased toward me. In December, I broke my leg and had to leave work. Pat wanted me back at work and began hounding my physician about my release date.
After my Family Medical Leave expired, she replaced me. When my physician released me I applied for unemployment benefits and Pat G. appealed my right to benefits based on "misconduct." The presiding judge disagreed.
Concerns over election consistency with a new auditor is managed with the Secretary of State's assistance, responding with personnel as needed. In fact, it was the Secretary of State who caught the errors on the ballots in 2005.
The county auditor had little to do with the recent modernization of voting equipment in Pacific County. The equipment was part of a federally-mandated and funded program that all counties in the state of Washington received.
Bottom line: Seven people have left in under four years. Three have stepped forward to inform the citizens of Pacific County why.
Please make a change by voting for Pat Hamilton on your General Election ballot.
Virginia Johnson
Former Chief Deputy Auditor
Pacific County Auditor's Office
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