Chelan County Commissioners Vote to Retain Planning Commission Chair Accused of Abusing His Position

Chelan County Planning Commission chair Ryan Kelso will stay in his position after a 2-1 vote by the County Commission to retain him.

The vote came Monday morning after he was accused of using his position to benefit clients of his architectural firm and violating the county code of ethics.

Community Development staff had asked for him to be removed from the Planning Commission.

The only vote to remove him Monday was from Commissioner Kevin Overbay, who originally appointed Kelso to the planning commission in 2019. 

The Planning Commission is a nine-member citizen advisory body appointed by the County Commissioners, with three members coming from each Commissioner district.

The commission looks at zoning and land use issues and makes recommendations to the County Commission.

Chelan County Public Information Officer Jill FitzSimmons says Community Development staff complained about Kelso's comments during an August meeting that included one of his clients.

"Mr. Kelso identified himself during the meeting as a planning commissioner," said FitzSimmons. "And staff knew he was a planning commissioner. But they perceived the statement as possible intimidation."

Kelso said the comment was not meant to be intimidating in a meeting last week where commissioners heard arguments against him.

FitzSimmons also says Community Development staff thought Kelso was out of line during a September Planning Commission meeting where he made a motion to reject their definition of the word "remodel."

"The county's definition of remodel came into play on a project that Mr. Kelso's business completed last year," FitzSimmons said. "And that project was given a stop order."

Community Development staff thought Kelso should have withdrawn himself from voting on the project because it would give special privileges to his clients and his business.

Commissioners Bob Bugert and Tiffany Gering both voted to retain Kelso. Bugert said there was not enough evidence of malfeasance, or that Kelso used his position to benefit himself. Gering twice said she didn't believe Kelso did anything wrong, and did not believe questions about his conduct should have reached the level of a vote to retain him. 

In voting against retaining Kelso, Overbay said Kelso intimidated staff members, according to their comments to him.  He also said Kelso should have noticed any conflict of interest.