No. 2 at county announces retirement

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Reporter Erik Hidle just wrote about how the commissioners may go about finding a replacement for Clark County Administrator Bill Barron, who will retire in September and not wait until his contract ends in 2014.

While commissioners set policy, the county administrator oversees the day-to-day operations and management of approximately 1,600 employees.

One obvious choice to replace Barron, on at least an interim basis, was going to be Deputy Administrator Glenn Olson. Olson, who spent 15 years at the state Office of Financial Management before becoming the county’s budget director in 1997,  was acting county administrator in 1998 while the search that led to Barron was being conducted. He was later named deputy county administrator.

But is he interested in the top job? Not quite. Olson has announced his retirement, effective July 1, shortly after he turns 57.

From Clark County’s employee newsletter, which was distributed today:

Deputy county administrator retires July 1

Glenn Olson, deputy county administrator and former budget director, has announced he will wrap up 31 years in public service when he retires July 1.

Glenn’s retirement caps 16 years in Clark County and 15 years with the state Office of Financial Management in Olympia. “These experiences gave me a great opportunity to develop as a public administrator from a front-row seat,” he said.

Born in Roseburg, Ore., Glenn joined OFM after earning a master’s in sociology with a concentration in demography at Western Washington University. He started with the state as an intern and was senior forecast coordinator when he left for Clark County.

Here, he instituted many data-based forecasting practices, and such long-term planning has helped keep the county financially stable, he said.

“Glenn has made vital contributions that have made our county government one of the finest in the nation,” said County Administrator Bill Barron. “I will miss his support and counsel.”