Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Dale Washam has been barred from the county auditor’s office unless he has a specific business purpose or an appointment.
County Auditor Julie Anderson sent Washam a formal note Wednesday afternoon that referred to Washam’s “harassing” behavior toward an office employee. Anderson’s order extended to Alberto Ugas, Washam’s chief deputy.
“As a result, all informal visits to my office by either you or Alberto Ugas will cease immediately,” Anderson’s note states. “You will not enter the Auditor’s office or the Elections Center without a bona fide business purpose.”
The decision comes at a tense moment. Elections workers are in the midst of checking thousands of signatures submitted as part of a recall petition that seeks to oust Washam from office. As of Thursday, workers had checked more than 38,000 petitions, with thousands more to go. Citizens are allowed to observe the signature-checking process at the elections center. Washam is not banned from the observation area. Anderson’s note, titled, “Informal visits will stop,” refers to a series of incidents involving her employee.
“During the past several months, your informal visits with my assistant, at her work station and in the Annex hallway, have been reported to me as ‘harassing, ‘ ‘weird,’ and ‘uncomfortable,’ “ Anderson wrote. “This has only intensified of late and your comments to her have included the following:
• Slandering her supervisor (i.e., calling me a liar).
• Asking her for legal opinions, advice and analysis about the recall petition.
• Expounded your religious beliefs and applying them to her.
• Repeatedly refusing to make an appointment with me to address your concerns and questions.
• Counseling her to look for work elsewhere.
“In short,” the note continues, “your ‘chats’ with my employees – whether they are on break or at their work stations – are not welcome. They are harassing and unprofessional.”
Washam could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. He has feuded with numerous county officials since taking office in 2009. Earlier this year, County Executive Pat McCarthy revoked his privileges to post statements on the assessor’s public website without prior review. The executive’s decision came after Washam’s statements were found to cross the line into politicking during the active recall campaign.
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