Clarkston City Council OKs new position, makes a hire

The Clarkston City Council unanimously approved a new city administrator position Tuesday night, and Steve Austin was appointed to the role.

Mayor Monika Lawrence said the city will retain its strong mayor form of government, and Austin, who has served as city clerk and treasurer for six years, will oversee all city business and department heads as administrator. The position pays $140,400 a year.

“There’s a lot that the city has to do,” Lawrence said. “We may be a smaller city, but we have to do everything like the big cities. Steve’s been a great help to me. I felt like we needed someone at a higher level to oversee what goes on in the city.”

Lawrence said she has four more years as mayor and spends most days at City Hall, putting in eight-hours a day. The city administrator will answer to her.

“Next year I’ll be 80, and I won’t be able to do this forever,” the mayor said. “I felt Steve was the right person for the job. He knows so much about the inner workings of the city, and he’s been a good administrator over the employees in his department.”

Rachel Frost, who has served as deputy clerk for five years, was appointed as the new clerk and treasurer.

Under the consent agenda, the base salaries for the clerk, fire chief, police chief and public works director were increased by $10,000 for the coming year. Each position will now be paid $125,500, a 8.7% raise. The city attorney will receive $85,000, and the police commander’s base salary was increased to $117,000 a year.

The mayor also appointed a new city attorney — Suzanne “Suni” Hanson — to take the reins from Todd Richardson. Hanson worked with Richardson in the past and was most recently employed as a deputy prosecutor at Asotin County.

“This is my last meeting as city attorney,” Richardson said. “It’s been a great run. I loved it. The city is a wonderful place to work, and it’s been a real honor to work with each one of you.”

Richardson, who started working for the city under contract in 2003, said he’ll still be at his Clarkston office, and hopes officials will stop by and say hello. He also spoke highly of Hanson, saying the city is getting a great attorney.

Lawrence thanked Richardson for his 20 years of service and dedication. Before giving him a plaque and expressing the need for good lawyers in society, she shared a few one-liners written by other people.

“Good lawyers know the law,” she said. “Great lawyers know the judge.”

Longtime reserve police officer Donna Manchester, who is retiring at the end of the year, was honored for her many years of service at the city. She received a plaque and words of praise from Police Chief Joel Hastings for handling multiple jobs since she was hired in 1995.

“I’ve never met anyone who worked as hard as Donna,” Hastings said.

In other city business, the council unanimously passed 2023 budget amendments, the 2024 final budget, and an ordinance to collect the city’s portion of an optional 0.2% sales tax, which was passed by Asotin County earlier this month.

On April 1, the sales tax on purchases inside the city limits will be 8.4%. Asotin County’s rate will be 8.2% on goods and services outside of the city.

Sanitation rates in Clarkston are going up by 5% next year. The council unanimously approved the rate hike, along with several other ordinances related to the budget.

Under the consent agenda, attorney Payden Ard was awarded the indigent defense contract, and the city agreed to provide $20,000 to the Asotin County Health District, and $140,000 to Visit Lewis-Clark Valley for tourism services. Valley Vision, a non-profit economic development organization, will receive $10,000 in 2024.

Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com. You can follow her on X @newsfromkerri.