County’s costs mounting in commissioners recall

Published 1:30 pm Thursday, June 26, 2025

Legal fees are beginning to mount in Pacific County Commissioner Lisa Olsen’s defense against the recall effort seeking her removal from office earlier this year. The fight is now at the Washington State Supreme Court, where a hearing is scheduled for Sept. 4, which will determine if the recall can move forward.

Olsen submitted a motion on April 8, asking the county to cover the costs of her legal defense against the recall. Her colleagues, Commissioners Jerry Doyle and David Tobin, voted to approve the motion, and Olsen was absent from the vote.

She is being represented by attorneys Mark C. Lamb, Isacc C. Prevost, and Jason Anderson of Carney Bradley Spellman P.S.

“I will be the lawyer primarily responsible for this matter, along with Isaac Prevost and Jason Anderson,” Lamb stated in the contract for services. “In order to make our services as cost effective and timely as possible and to take advantage of specialized knowledge, we may delegate portions of the work to other selected lawyers and paralegals.”

Lamb said his current hourly rate is $690, while the rates of other paralegals and attorneys at the firm range from $140 to $600 per hour. The firm asked for a $5,000 advance for its work.

“We will endeavor to inform you promptly of material developments in our work and will consult with you about decisions relating to those matters,” Lamb stated. “We encourage you to advise us of developments that might affect our work for you and let us know of any concerns or questions you might have about our services. While we cannot promise any particular result in this matter, we will use our best efforts to obtain the most favorable outcome.”

On April 22, Olsen learned from Pacific County Prosecutor Michael Rothman that she could use county funds to pay for her legal defense against the recall. Rothman determined, after a legal review, that because the recall charges concern decisions she made as a county official, she was entitled to have the county cover the cost of her defense.

According to public records, the first bill for Olsen’s legal defense was submitted on May 15, requesting that the county pay $13,307.75 of an $18,307.75 bill. The billing statement shows that $5,000 of the bill had been covered by “trust funds.”

Legal defense costs are not the only expenses the county will likely incur. Pacific County Auditor Alex Gerow learned from the Washington Secretary of State’s Office on May 20 that the county will be responsible for covering the cost of a special election in this manner.

“RCW 29A.56.250 states that the special election for the recall will be conducted in the same manner as any other special election,” the secretary of state’s office stated. “This would include the cost borne by the district that has contents on the ballot. In this case, the county would be responsible for its proportionate share of the costs if the recall election is held in conjunction with other elections.”

Special elections in the county held between 2022 and 2024 ranged in cost from $26,738.22 for a ballot with one jurisdiction measure up to $56,892.98 for a ballot with six jurisdiction measures.