A group of Kennewick residents submitted a petition to the Kennewick City Council Tuesday night, asking Mayor Don Britain to step down from his seat on the council.

The request comes after a story that Newsradio 610 KONA was first to report in October, when Britain was fired from his job as a social worker with the Department of Social and Human Services.

The report detailed a relationship with a DSHS client that extended outside of the workplace, with the young woman eventually moving in with Britain, accompanying him on a trip to Hawaii, and attending social events together, though he insisted that the relationship was not romantic.

“Mr. Britain appears to not understand that his conduct in the voters’ minds was unethical both personally and politically, and it makes him unqualified to continue in public office,”said Jerry Martin, a member of the We Want Accountability political action committee. “He showed an embarrassing lack of wisdom and judgment for someone who is our mayor.”

Britain was terminated from his job, but was never charged with any crime.

Earlier this month, fellow council members filed an ethics complaint against Britain, also related to the WSP investigation.

 

 

 

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