Thurston County road workers, allies deliver workplace grievances to commissioners
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Thurston County road worker concerns
Current and former Thurston County road workers publicly accused management of creating a toxic work environment and failing to address their concerns in 2025.
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Thurston County road workers and their allies took their workplace grievances directly to the Board of County Commissioners last week.
Over four dozen people packed into The Atrium, many in Public Works-labeled orange vests, to show their disapproval of how leadership has handled their concerns.
Earlier this year, former county road workers accused leadership of creating a toxic work environment. The county responded by contracting an outside investigator to look into their complaints. Meanwhile, current workers approved a vote of no confidence in management, namely Roads Operations Manager Mike Lowman and Supervisor Nick Bemis.
Following the investigation, the county refused to remove Lowman and Bemis, saying employee concerns did not rise to the level that would warrant firing them.
Now, road workers are taking their frustrations directly to the county commissioners. Several speakers, some employees and other allies, voiced their frustration to the applause of the workers in the audience.
Carl Martin, a community litter crew supervisor, said he first came forward with concerns about toxic working conditions in the Roads Operations division. He said there’s “been no meaningful improvement” since the investigator delivered their findings.
“It must also be acknowledged that the department’s leadership is fully aware of these conditions, yet from an employee’s perspective, the response has been simply to move forward and put this behind us, rather than to take corrective action,” Martin said.
The Roads Operations Division is responsible for maintaining the safety and reliability of the county’s over 1,000 miles of roadway. Beyond worker morale, the speakers said working conditions have affected operational efficiencies, safety and increased costs borne by taxpayers.
The Olympian asked Public Works Director Karen Weiss to respond to her employees concerns. Susan Melnyk, the county’s chief communication officer, responded with the following statement.
“Thurston County is deeply committed to providing a safe, productive, and supportive environment for all employees who serve our community every day. We take employee concerns seriously and follow established Human Resources policies and procedures for all staff, including supervisors and managers who are held accountable to clear expectations.
“Our Public Works Department is a vital part of County operations, and we continue to invest in all 219 of its hard-working, dedicated employees across six divisions. The County has met three times with union representatives, participated in quarterly Labor Management Committee (LMC) meetings, held ongoing, direct dialogue with staff, launched new training initiatives, and added additional channels and methods for employees to bring forward questions, concerns, and formal complaints.”
What did speakers have to say?
Martin, who works in a different division but spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said Lowman and Bemis were reassigned and required to attend county paid training. However, their behavior has not improved.
“The problem that we continue to face is that leadership lacks the level of empathy, clear communication and the ability to build trust or empower staff,” Martin said. “Employees constantly report feeling dismissed, undervalued and unheard. Even after the training, the same abrasive and caustic behavior persists.”
He said Bemis communicated to staff that he did not intend to change or apologize because he believed he did nothing wrong.
“If leadership cannot acknowledge mistakes, then retraining becomes an exercise in pretending,” Martin said. “You cannot fix what someone refuses to admit is broken.”
The situation has driven away seasoned employees, Martin said, and the division was now contending with 14 vacancies.
The Roads Operations division has 66 full-time employees and in October has been recruiting for 10 positions, according to the county’s website.
Martin asked why the county is continuing to protect Lowman and Bemis despite the pleas of the workforce asking for change.
“As winter sets in, our crews are ready to stand in, even with 14 vacant positions,” Martin said. “The question is, ‘Will leadership stand by us?’”
Sam Fremont, who works in the fleet services division of the county’s Central Services Department, said she’s noticed the toll the current working conditions are taking on her colleagues in the roads division.
“I see this crew every single day,” Fremont said. “For years, I knew everyone’s names. They were a happy-go-lucky bunch, but today it’s different.
“Now I see people who stare at the ground, who dread coming to work, people desperately searching for new jobs. Some have even told me that they’ve had to start new medications for anxiety and blood pressure just to get through the day. That’s not normal, that’s not healthy, and it’s not sustainable.”
Fremont said turnover is costing the county hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and qualified people are avoiding applying for vacancies.
“Turnover this high is incredibly expensive,” Fremont said. “The problem must stop, if not for employee satisfaction, then do it for the budget.”
Tonya Sullivan, president of Local 618, said roads workers feel like their input is often ignored and their concerns are dismissed. She acknowledged that Public Works has made some efforts to address the situation, but she said the root problem persists.
“Too often, management frames these deep-seated problems as mere resistance to operational changes, rather than recognizing them for what they truly are: leadership failures,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan, who also works in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said road workers take pride in their work and deserve a working environment where they feel valued. She called on county commissioners to recognize the “urgency of the situation.”
“It’s time to move beyond symbolic gestures,” Sullivan said. “We need immediate, decisive and meaningful change.”
Sheree Neumeier, a retired Public Works employee, said Bemis and Lowman made her feel miserable.
“I guarantee you, every one of those guys and women in orange put their life on the line for you guys in Thurston County, and you don’t appreciate them,” Neumeier said to the commissioners. “And I’m sorry to be ashamed of my commissioners, because I never have been, but I’m proud to have been an employee.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 4:55 AM.
