County paying to end conflict with former employee

By Emily Heffter
Times Snohomish County bureau

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Snohomish County officials agreed last month to pay an employee $275,000 to leave her job without suing.

The county approved the settlement with Susan Lewis, who was the family-support administrator in the county Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

The details of Lewis' situation are confidential as part of the agreement, but sources close to the negotiations said Prosecuting Attorney Janice Ellis had humiliated Lewis during an office retreat this year. Ellis asked employees to write down what they would do to improve the office, a source said. Many people complained in writing about Lewis, and Ellis allowed other employees to see the comments, according to the source.

Lewis' attorney, Susan Rae Fox, said neither she nor Lewis could comment because of the confidentiality agreement.

Ellis also declined to comment.

"I'm just not authorized to say anything other than what it indicates in the agreement," she said.

According to the agreement, officials can say only that "the parties have amicably resolved the disputes between them."

After the retreat, Lewis, who had worked for the county since 1991, was placed on paid administrative leave until October, when she and county officials began to negotiate a settlement. Effective Oct. 31, the county eliminated Lewis' position.

Snohomish County Council Chairman Gary Nelson, R-Edmonds, said he voted against the settlement. He said he dislikes such settlements because taxpayers take the brunt when an elected official makes a mistake.

Nelson said managers who "do an outrageous act" sometimes get off the hook.

"The person who does this is not someone who pays the consequences in every case. ... The consequences fall back onto the taxpayers."

Elected officials, he added, "are learning on our dime. It can be very expensive learning."

According to Lewis' settlement, she received $25,000 last month, and the county will pay her the rest Jan. 2.

The county paid a consultant about $17,000 to determine whether to settle, sources said.

Emily Heffter: 425-783-0624 or eheffter@seattletimes.com

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