2008 Budget Book - Kitsap County Government

General Information and Economic Indicators
ADMINISTRATION
Barbara Stephenson, Treasurer, was first elected in November 2002. For the past 25 years she has been
very active in the community, both as a financial professional and a community leader. She worked in the
private sector as a banker for 14 years, seven years as a Loan Officer and seven years as an Assistant Vice
President and Branch Manager. In 1991, she was appointed the Executive Director for United Way of Kitsap
County, where she served as the chief executive responsible for administering the organization’s policies,
programs and plans. Ms. Stephenson educational background includes Pacific Coast Banking School –
University of WA; Northwest Intermediate Banking School – University of OR; American Institute of Banking –
Seattle University and Bellevue Community College – Business Administration. During the past 11 years she
served three terms as president of the United Ways of Washington. She served on the Board of Trustees for
Olympic College for eleven years. She is the immediate past president of the Poulsbo North Kitsap Rotary and
a past president of the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce.
Karen Flynn, Auditor, was elected to office in 1986 and is the Northwest Regional President for the
Washington State Association of County Auditors. She attended Olympic College, Mesa College, and the
Institute of Financial Education. Ms. Flynn has eight years of experience in banking with Washington Federal
Savings and Loan Association, and more recently as Assistant Vice President of savings administration at Great
Northwest Federal Savings and Loan. She serves on the legislative committee for the Washington State
Association of County Auditors and was chairperson of the 1988 Washington Election Administrators
Conference.
James A. Avery, Assessor, was elected to his first term in November 1998. He graduated from the University
of Idaho in 1969 with a degree in General Business and the University of Puget Sound in 1980 with a master’s
degree in Business Administration. He served as a Supply Officer in the U.S. Navy 1969-1990. From 1990-97
he worked in the Kitsap County real estate industry as a sales associate, associate broker, and managing
broker with a large regional real estate firm. From 1997-98 he was the Northwest Regional Manager for a
national government contracting company performing logistic services for the Department of Defense in
Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana. Mr. Avery was elected to a six-year term on the Manchester
Water District commission in 1993.
Nancy Buonnano Grennan, County Administrator, was appointed to her position on February 20, 2007. She
holds a law degree from the University of Washington and a bachelors in psychology from Smith College in
Northampton, Massachusetts. Grennan has more than 20 years experience in human resources, labor relations
and policy development. She held the position of labor relations manager for Kitsap County from 2000 to 2004
and was King County’s labor relations manager from 2004 to February 2007. The County Administrator
oversees six Kitsap County departments: Public Works, Community Development, Parks & Recreation,
Administrative Services, Information Services, and Personnel and Human Services.
Benjamin A. Holland, Director, Department of Administrative Services, was appointed to his position on
February 23, 2004. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, from the United States Naval Academy and Master
of Science degree in petroleum management from the University of Kansas. Mr. Holland is a retired naval
officer and has worked 11 years in municipal government in Washington State. Prior to his current position, he
worked as a supervisor in procurement management for the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (METRO), the
Budget Manager for Kitsap County, and as the General Manager for the Port of Brownsville in Kitsap County.
STAFF
The County employs approximately 1,300 regular employees, with approximately 800 represented by bargaining
units. The Director of Administrative Services states that employer-employee relations are good. There has
never been a strike against the County by the bargaining units. The two contracts that expired at the end of
2006 are in negotiation. All employees of these units are working without a contract. Negotiations have in the
past extended into the year following contract expiration. The following table lists the bargaining units and
contract status for the County. The contracts that expired 12/31/06 and 12/31/07 are in negotiation.
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