SEQUIM — Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand shut down the Sequim Vehicle/Vessel Licensing Office today and was gathering the office’s records for an audit to determine if she will terminate the office contract of subagent Karen Shewbert, who Rosand said is in breach of contract.
The action can a day after a Superior Court hearing Wednesday before acting Court Commissioner William Knebes in which lawyers for Shewbert, Rosand and the state Department of Licensing agreed on an audit to allow Rosand to determine if Shewbert’s contract was in breach and terminated.
Shewbert, through her Sequim attorney, Craig Miller, had originally sought a court injunction against Rosand’s office that would allow the Sequim office to remain open until the case could be appealed before an independent state Department of Licensing review panel within the next 30 days.
Rosand specifically accuses Shewbert of not providing adequate financial records but Shewbert denies it, saying she has routinely reported all transactions and dollars flowing in and out of the office.
The office was allowed to remain open Thursday before Rosand sent Shewbert notice that same day which in part stated:
“In anticipation of the audit and potential closure of [the office] tomorrow, please plan accordingly understanding that today may be the last day on which [the office] is open to the public.”
A Clallam County sheriff’s deputy was called in to keep the peace today during a tense but otherwise quiet and peaceful situation in which Rosand and her deputy clerk, Lila Duncan, entered the office at 10 a.m. to print out financial records kept on two computers at the office.
Shewbert has owned and operated the office for the county and state Department of Licensing for 12 years at 1001 E. Washington St., serving customers in East Clallam and Jefferson counties.
“At the conclusion of the audit, I will decide if the Shewbert will be terminated,” Rosand said today at the office.
She added that she would release a statement later today further detailing her actions.
Shewbert, her full-time office clerk, Christine Henderson, and two office part-timers, Sylvia Giddens and Cindy Clardy, were in the office early this morning gathering and boxing records and materials in the office, before Rosand showed up.
“We’re all out of work,” Shewbert said after she broke out in tears near boxes of material packed for moving out.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
