Top Stories of 2017: Whitman County parks/fair/facilities consolidation

Whitman County commissioners in June approved reorganization of the county Parks and Recreation Department and Developmental Disabilities Department to combine them with Emergency Management/Emergency Communications. Bill Tensfeld, emergency management director, took on some additional responsibilities, including reporting to the commissioners on the departments.

There will be no change in department services.

“We looked at a variety of scenarios,” said Janel Goebel, who served as interim director since the retirement of Parks and Recreation Director/Development Services County Coordinator Tim...