No-confidence vote in Grant County sheriff’s administration drew support from majority of participants

EPHRATA — Newly-released public records show that 31 members of the Grant County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriffs’ Association voted no confidence in Sheriff Joey Kriete's administration in June, while six expressed confidence and 10 abstained. The records confirm the outcome of the vote but do not disclose the concerns that prompted it. 

Records released Aug. 14 reveal the association conducted a confidential poll among its members beginning June 9, asking whether they had confidence in the current administration led by Kriete. 

According to records, members were asked to select one of three options on an online poll: 

"YES – no confidence in the current administration" 

"NO – confidence in the current administration" 

"ABSTAIN – choice to not vote either way" 

Eight days later, on June 17, Association President Jason McDonnell announced the results in the association's group chat. 

"The vote has concluded. Thank you to everyone who has participated. Your involvement helps guide the (executive board) to represent the desires of the body," McDonnell wrote. 

According to the records, 47 members participated in the vote. Of those, 31, or around 66%, voted no confidence in the administration; six, or around 13%, voted they had confidence and 10, or around 21%, abstained. 

"The (board) will now consult the Roberts Rules of Order ... to determine the most appropriate step," McDonnell wrote. 

The association previously told the Columbia Basin Herald it had 55 members as of July 13, 54 of whom were eligible to vote. The 47 participants represented approximately 87% of eligible voters. The 31 no-confidence votes represented nearly two-thirds of all members eligible to participate. 

Kriete, who is seeking re-election, advanced to the November general election against challenger Darrik Gregg. As of Aug. 17, unofficial election results showed Gregg leading with 5,807 votes to Kriete's 5,717. 

Kriete said Monday that communication between administration and association leadership has improved since the June vote. 

"Things are going a little bit better," Kriete said, adding that his comments were being made in the context of the ongoing election campaign and not as an official statement on behalf of the sheriff's office. 

Kriete said the sheriff's office and association representatives have maintained open lines of communication and are working through concerns as they arise. While he said he still does not fully understand what prompted the no-confidence vote, Kriete said his focus remains on identifying issues and finding solutions. 

The records do not identify specific complaints or concerns that prompted the vote, and no documentation explaining the basis for the action was released. 

Less than a week after the vote results were announced, association officials reported meeting with sheriff's office leadership. 

In a June 23 message posted by association board member Zane Bundy, members were told association representatives had spoken with labor counsel and then met with Kriete and Undersheriff Gary Mansford. 

"A meeting was held with the Sheriff and Undersheriff," Bundy wrote. "We discussed the results of the vote and went over the issues brought forward by the association. Everyone agreed that further conversations would (be) had moving forward." 

No records released by the county provided details about those issues. 

Records also show two association members resigned from the association during the period surrounding the vote, though neither publicly linked his decision to the no-confidence measure. One union member withdrew his membership June 15, while one union member announced his resignation June 17. 

"With that said, I have no ill will towards association board members and anyone within the Association," the former union member wrote June 17. 

McDonnell declined to comment on the vote when contacted by the Herald after receiving records. McDonnell also gave a no-comment statement following the vote. 

Kriete previously told the Columbia Basin Herald he believed some concerns discussed after the vote involved issues that had already been addressed or were subjects of collective bargaining. He also said many concerns had not been raised during regular meetings between administration and association representatives. 

"I can't make adjustments or fix things if I don't know it's broken," Kriete said. 

The Herald filed a public records request June 22 seeking documentation related to the vote. The county initially estimated a response within five business days but repeatedly extended the deadline while determining whether records generated through a voting application on county-issued phones were subject to disclosure. 

Records Clerk Michael Sperline previously said additional review was necessary because the vote was conducted using an application accessed on county-owned devices assigned to deputies. 

The records request remained pending when the Columbia Basin Herald first reported on the no-confidence vote in July. The county fulfilled the request Aug. 14 after completing its review process and issuing third-party notifications. 

Despite the release of records confirming the vote results, the concerns that led a majority of participating deputies to vote no confidence in the administration remain unknown. Neither association leaders nor the records released by the county identify the specific issues raised by members, leaving the reason for the vote largely unresolved.