The county manager position is vacant, as of May 12, 2017. Deputy County Manager Bob Stevens is temporarily overseeing the day-to-day operation of the county. The Clark County Council, with the assistance of the Prothman Co. executive search firm in Issaquah, is seeking an experienced person to serve as interim county manager while the council does a national search for a new fulltime county manager.

The county manager position was created by the Home Rule Charter approved by voters in November 2014. The charter, which also changed the three-member Board of County Commissioners to a five-member county council, took effect Jan. 1, 2015.

Previously under the board, a county administrator had some of the authority now vested in the county manager position. The charter, however, separated the county manager's executive role from the council's legislative role, giving the county manager the duties and authority listed below.

Duties as county manager, if action is within adopted budget:

• Manage approved county budget
• Hire, fire and discipline employees
• Approve Human Resources policies
• Supervise and reorganize departments reporting to him
• Develop work programs and scopes of work
• Reorganize within a department reporting to him
• Approve executive contracts and bid awards
• Sign leases and deeds
• Pay bills
• Enforce ordinances and codes
• Manage county property
• Make appointments to some advisory boards and commissions
• Respond to citizen inquiries

Duties as county manager for county council approval:

• Budget preparation and revision
• Comprehensive Growth Management Plan/amendment review and recommendation
• Review and recommend collective bargaining parameters
• Negotiate bargaining agreements
• Compensation package design
• Review and recommend policy documents and plans
• Code amendments
• Respond to inquiries from Board of County Councilors