New Richland parks director resigns. She’s the 2nd department head to leave in 2 months
Laura J. Hester, who joined Richland as director of parks and public facilities on Jan. 3, has resigned after less than 10 months on the job.
She submitted her resignation late last week as city leaders abandoned plans to pack Leslie Groves Park with new amenities in the face of opposition from some neighbors. It was not clear if the two events are connected.
Joe Schiessl, the city’s deputy city manager, confirmed Hester’s resignation Monday afternoon after a message to Hester’s city email triggered an automated reply indicating she is no longer with the city.
“We wish Laura the best in her future endeavors and thank her for her service to Richland. The city will begin a recruitment effort for the important role in the coming weeks,” he said in a statement to the Tri-City Herald.
Hester, 48, cited a conflict with Scheissl for her decision to resign, effective immediately.
“Let’s put it this way, there’s a deputy city manager in the city of Richland that is very, very difficult to work with,” she told the Herald on Monday.
She declined to provide details, but said her attempts to bring up management concerns led to retaliation against her.
Schiessl did not immediately respond to her comment.
Hester later clarified her comments in a statement to the Tri-City Herald:
“I am grateful for my tenure as the Parks and Public Facilities Director in Richland. It was indeed a pleasure working alongside the dedicated and talented employees, contributing to the remarkable efforts they put in for the citizens of Richland. I thank Jon Amundson, Joe Schiessl, and the Richland City Council for the opportunity. I wish everyone the very best. As I move on to the next opportunity, I will always think highly of my time spent with the wonderful people of Richland.”
Hester and her husband moved their family to Richland from Sahuarita, Ariz., in January after she was chosen from a field of six candidates to succeed Schiessl as the parks and public facilities director.
Schiessl vacated the post when he was promoted in 2022 to deputy city manager, reporting to City Manager Jon Amundson.
In January, the city touted Hester’s 20+ years of experience in parks and recreation roles in Arizona and, prior to that, Utah.
In Arizona, she served as parks and facilities manager and then parks, recreation and community services director for the town of Sahuarita. She previously held positions of increasing responsibility in parks and recreation programs in Utah.
She holds a bachelor’s in parks and recreation and therapeutic recreation therapy from the University of Utah.
Hester told the Herald she had high hopes when she moved her family to the Northwest earlier this year.
“This is not what I was planning bringing my family across country to be part of,” she said.
In her Richland role, Hester served on the city’s leadership team and oversaw a department of about 100 employees.
She is the second department head to depart from the city in less than two months.
In September, Brigit Clary, 53, Richland’s first woman police chief, announced she will retire on Jan. 1, 2024, after less than two years in the role.
Her predecessor John Bruce, resigned after less than three years with the city.
