The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (Board) wishes to begin by thanking the community for their patience during this challenging and sensitive investigation. Throughout this process, we have strived to balance fairness, legal obligations, and privacy concerns (where necessary), all while being mindful of the broad public interest in this matter.

After concluding our investigation and carefully evaluating the facts gathered by a third-party investigator, the Board wishes to address the actions of Commissioner Emily Clouse as an elected official and as a representative of Thurston County as an organization.

The investigation uncovered breaches of trust and ethical violations by Commissioner Clouse. Commissioner Clouse’s actions were a direct violation of Thurston County HR Policies, her Oath of Office, and a violation of the public’s trust instilled in elected officials. Deliberate deceptive behavior created confusion within the Board, Thurston County organization and public. Although outside the disciplinary authority of the Board the misuse of public resources and inappropriate personal gain raise great concern.

It is important to note that the described conduct in the investigative report would result in the termination of any regular County employee, however as an independently elected official this is not within the legal authority of the board. It is also important to note that as an elected official, Commissioner Clouse should be held to an even higher standard of accountability than any regular employee. These actions have deeply compromised the County’s ability to operate with integrity and professionalism. The people of Thurston County deserve leaders who uphold honesty, fairness, and respect for the public good. Commissioner Clouse’s behavior has fallen short of these expectations.

Remedies and Corrective Actions

The Board requests that Commissioner Clouse analyze her actions and evaluate how she can rebuild trust with the Board, Thurston County as an organization, and the citizens of Thurston County. The Board is deeply concerned and disappointed in the findings of the investigation and would urge Commissioner Clouse to evaluate how she can eliminate any concerning actions in the future.

We request Commissioner Clouse to assess what accountability to her breaches of trust and ethical violations looks like and take any and all appropriate actions to hold herself accountable.

We request that Commissioner Clouse pledge to professional development prior to undertaking the recruitment and hiring on a new executive aide and that a hiring panel be utilized in the hiring process.

Preventive and Structural Measures

To prevent future incidents, the Board and Thurston County HR has begun taking the following steps:

• Strengthening County policies to enforce boundaries regarding workplace relationships, conflicts of interest, and public resource use.
• Enhancing anonymous reporting systems for employees to feel empowered to report ethical concerns without fear of retaliation.
• Implementing and strengthening safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest in hiring practices.
• Provide and require periodic ethics reviews for all elected officials. Publish periodic updates on the implementation of these measures to maintain transparency.

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners is committed to restoring public trust and ensuring accountability within our organization. Commissioner Clouse’s actions, as detailed in this statement, reflect a lapse in judgment and a failure to meet the ethical and professional standards expected of a public official. These violations have compromised the County’s integrity, damaged its reputation, and diminished the public’s confidence in its leadership. With the completion of the investigation, the Board plans to reinstate Commissioner Clouse to her 2024 boards, commissions, councils, and committee assignments.

Please find linked the report provided by the third-party investigator and a memorandum provided by Thurston County’s Department of Human Resources.