November 9, 2009

Skamania County auditor resigns

By Jesse Burkhardt
The Enterprise, White Salmon

     Skamania County Auditor Mike Garvison is resigning from his position, effective at the end of the day Sunday, Nov. 8.
     Garvison, a Republican who was elected to a four-year term in 2002 and re-elected in 2006, said he is leaving office to take another job. He denied that his resignation was related to allegations of "unauthorized and extravagant" travel expenses recently raised by former Skamania County Prosecuting Attorney Bradley Andersen.
     In an Oct. 20 document sent to Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and other public officials, Andersen claimed that Garvison had misused county funds by having the county reimburse him for excessive travel expenses.
     "I had resigned Oct. 6 because I found different employment," Garvison said on Monday. "These allegations came on Oct. 20. One was not tied to the other."
     In a 15-page summary prepared by Andersen, the former prosecutor alleged Garvison had been misusing county funds almost since the beginning of his service as Auditor