Benton County Commissioners Clash Over Special Counsel
A heated debate between commissioners reveals deep-seated regional rivalries between Kennewick and Prosser.
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At a meeting of the Benton County commissioners, the board discussed the hiring of special counsel. Attorney Fristoe suggested that Commissioner Pratt represented Kennewick, while Commissioner McNeill represented Prosser, and Commissioner Bash remained neutral, implying that the selection of counsel should be left to the prosecutor. This drew a sharp rebuke from Mr. Pratt, who stated that he was elected as a business agent for the entirety of Benton County and was not there to favor any single district. Mr. Fristoe admitted his own prejudice in favor of Prosser and assumed Mr. Pratt shared a similar bias for Kennewick. Pratt countered that the prosecutor's office should serve the county as a whole. The resolution to hire counsel was ultimately supported by Bash and Pratt, with McNeill opposed. Commissioners Bash and Pratt subsequently departed for Seattle to consult with a legal firm.
“I was elected as one of Benton county’s business agents and I am here on the job to represent the interests of Benton county and not of Kennewick or any other section or district.”
Regional tension between Kennewick and Prosser has defined Benton County politics for over a century. This disagreement highlights the ongoing struggle to balance municipal interests with the broader needs of a growing county.
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