Three members of the Pierce County Recreation Board have resigned, leaving the body without a quorum and unable to function.
Board chairman Johnny Thigpen Jr. and members Barrett Boatright and Timothy Griffis have all submitted letters of resignation to the county commission.
Board members Brad Arington and Anna Saucedo are the only two members remaining.
County Manager Raphel Maddox confirmed Boatright and Griffis resigned Nov. 1 and Thigpen Jr. resigned Nov. 4. Thigpen Jr. and Griffis did not cite specific reasons for resigning. Boatright said he resigned due to work and family obligations.
Thigpen, Jr
While no one would comment publicly on the matter, The Times has learned internal troubles in the department may have played a role in the resignations. (See related editorial.)
All five members were initially appointed to the newly revived board in the fall of 2022 and the board began meeting again in January, 2023. An earlier version of the board was abolished in 2011.
The board’s regular meeting, set for Nov. 5, was canceled due to lack of a quorum.
The resignations were not announced at last week’s commission meeting and there is, reportedly, no time frame for appointing three new members to the board.
